Gameweek 19 Preview

While we all sit on our couches stuffed from the festive season, footballers are training in the blistering cold. Yet this weekend’s games are a headache for choosing the right fantasy line-up. Who will tinker with their team? Which players' Christmas were just too merry?

Making things worse, the fantasy darling Aaron Ramsey is out for at least two games. Does this lead to the re-emergence of the Greatest footballer on Earth…..

Captain Marvel

“Suarez bites back”. He returns to the scene of the crime, and who wouldn’t bet on him having a great game with added incentive.

He has been in sublime form recently. Everything has been going through him, and he finally looks to be in football shape. With Norwich away you cannot believe he won’t get at least a goal or assist, especially since he has been United's set-piece specialist with RVP out.

Since returning from injury he has had 8, 10, 7 fantasy points. Two of those games were Arsenal and Liverpool at home. Another player who has set piece duties, he faces Crystal Palace at home, where City have been imperious scoring over four goals a game. Playing only ten games this season skews his rankings in fantasy land, averaging 6.7 points a game when healthy!

Kasami scored his third goal of the season on boxing day, and considering Fulham’s lacklustre displays up front alongside Dimitar Berbatov’s niggling injuries, he may finally get a consistent spell further forward in the side. Taking some of Fulham’s free-kicks only enhances his fantasy value, and at £4.4m I do not believe there are many players offering the same value. His only drawback has been his lack of starts recently, but based on his last performance, Kasami is here to stay! If all the above is not enough look at his next three fixtures: Hull City(A), West Ham(H), Sunderland(H).

Southampton have been this season’s surprise package. Their defenders were keeping clean sheets, Lallana gaining an England call up, and two star strikers in Rickie Lambert and Pablo Osvaldo. However Rodriguez sits only three points behind Lallana, and joint with Lambert on points. He is cheaper than both, and has played 90 minutes in seven of his last eight games. With six goals and eight assists so far, his form is reminiscent of Ramsey’s earlier this season.

Sell High

I realise this was brought up last week, and he had a decent game against West Ham, but the main concern here is that Arsenal are getting attacking talent back who will be a lot fresher (Walcott and Podolski). Both of these players also see themselves as potential “No. 9s” so Wenger will likely rotate his front players a bit to keep Giroud fit. Let’s also not forget Nicklas Bendtner (He has scored in every game he has started – 1).

This is not so much a case of selling high, rather than a worry of his knee injury, Aston Villa’s terrible form, and the fact he has not scored since gameweek 4 and has only three goals so far this campaign. He is not known for getting many assists(4 last year), so you rely on his scoring, and currently for his price you can buy more consistency, even Soldado has significantly more points. He is too good not to turn things around, but why have him in your squad until he proves he is healthy.

He has played well in his last two games, scoring against both Manchester United and Arsenal. West Ham’s fixtures get significantly easier, and under normal circumstances picking Cole would be a no-brainer. He has of course got Adebayor syndrome (he will have a couple of great games, get you all excited, then decide he’s not really interested anymore). At his price though, why not go for the only man who can score for the Hammers!!