International Tournaments in January & February 2015
Some of you will have read the header and thought Tournaments! There’s only the African Cup of Nations to contend with…. wrong answer boys and girls! There is also the AFC Asian Cup in Australia to deal with. It could mean that some Premier League players will be unavailable for 3-4 gameweeks. With FIFA regulations stating that “For a final competition players must be released and start to travel to their national team no later than the Monday morning of the week preceding that of the start of the relevant final competition, and must be released by their association the morning of the day after their last match of the tournament” this could have a huge impact on Fantasy Manager’s January Wildcards.
Now I bet some of you still think that these tournaments will not have an effect on your Fantasy sides, well to name but a few players, if you have the like of; Bony, Yaya Toure, Cisse, Sakho, Jedinak and Yoshida then you will be affected.
Let’s start off with the African Cup of Nations or ACON:
The African Cup of Nations is the international football championships for the African Football Confederation, (CAF) and will be taking place in Equatorial Guinea. ACON will take place between 17 January to 8 February 2015. Players can start reporting to their National Associations from the 5th January.
At present the 30 man squads are only available; this will be reduced down to 23 at a date to be confirmed. At present there are 20 Premier League players going to ACON. Here is the initial list of players by club, who could be going to the Tournament:
Crystal Palace- Adlene Guediora (Algeria), Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo)
Everton- Christian Atsu (Ghana)
Hull- Mohamed Diame (Senegal)
Leicester- Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Jeff Schlupp (Ghana)
Liverpool- Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast)
Man City- Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)
Newcastle- Mehdi Abeid (Algeria), Papiss Cisse (Senegal), Cheick Tiote (Ivory Coast)
Southampton- Emmanuel Mayuka (Zambia), Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Stoke- Mame Biram Diouf (Senegal)
Swansea- Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast)
Tottenham- Nabil Bentaleb (Algeria)
West Ham- Alex Song (Cameroon), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Diafra Sakho (Senegal)
West Bromwich- Youssouf Mulumbu (DR Congo)
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Next up is the lesser known Tournament known as the AFC Asian Cup:
The AFC Asian Cup is the international football championships for the Asian Football Confederation. (AFC) The winner will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The Cup is taking place in Australia and will take place between the 9 January to the 31 January 2015. Players can start reporting to their National Associations from the 29th December.
Like ACON at present only the 30 man squads are only available. There are 7 Premier League players selected in preliminary squads for the Asian Cup. This Cup competition will impact Fantasy Premier League teams during Gameweeks 21-23. The initial list is:
Aston Villa- Chris Herd (Australia)
Crystal Palace- Mile Jedinak (Australia)
Liverpool- Brad Jones (Australia)
QPR- Yun Suk Young (QPR)
Southampton- Maya Yoshida (Japan)
Swansea- Ki Sung Yueng (Korean Republic)
West Brom- Jason Davidson (Australia)
It remains to be seen when players involved in this Tournament will be called up by their Associations. I would suggest to all you Fantasy Managers to keep a close eye on the squads and don’t get caught with you pants down! West Ham look like they could be effected the most by these tournaments losing Alex Song, Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho. Some of the players involved are popular with many a Fantasy Manager, Wilfried Bony, Mile Jedinak and Yaya Toure being the main protagonists.
Plan your transfers carefully and remember the January Wildcard can only be used after Gameweek 20 starts until Gameweek 23 ends.
Hi lads, what do you think about this as a WC team? I’ll need someone in place of Aguero until he’s fit obviously.
I see you copied my Mannone/Panti tactic. Good thing people actually listen.
HAHAHA @ Jones in the defense. :dance:
Yeah Raz, you were my main source of inspiration for the keepers. Hearin you bitching about “Pantsu” getting points for you on the bench convinced me :big-lol:
Need United defense with their fixtures. Got my eye on Shaw, but he needs to prove himself first. Hopefully Jones won’t make any stupid tackles and get himself sent off or something.
I see you listen Marilyn Manson. 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTSKWg67jZo
Cut that, the song actually sucks. Was much better in my memory. HAHA. :p
Yeah Raz, MM is playing in NY in January so I’m contemplating buying a ticket. Kinda expensive though. Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth are playing in Febrauary and that ticket is way cheaper. Already bought one ^^
MM and Eminem collaborating was doomed from the beginning :noshake:
Looks pretty sweet, Tekno. Can’t really find fault. You reckon Jones will be good for a bunch of clean sheets? I might have to bring him in then.
Yeah Sanchez, I think United should get some CS’s with their fixtures.
Hello guys
This is my first post on here. It’s my first season in the FPL and to be honest, it’s not been going well, I’ve only managed average points most GWs and used my first WC far too early. I’ve become a bit more sussed but have now used my january WC, but see that my choices are practically the same as everyone else. I’d like some advice if possible: This is my team after the WC:
Guzan, Forster, Clichy, Wisdom, Cissokho, Hutton, Bertrand
Hazard, Sanchez, Chadli, Silva, Boyd
Austin, Kane, Costa.
I have 2.5m in the bank to get Aguero or another if neccessary. Is this good, or is there a better way to improve my points total… at the moment I’m on 922 points.
Cheers
Looks like a decent team. Personally I’m going with Panti/Man combo. Sunderland kept 6 CS in away games I think. >.<
Yeah, you will need Kun in you team. Clichy is rotation headache but when plays he gets you points. Decent team.
Thanks Raz
Yea I know Clichy gets rotated a lot, but I thought if I leave him in the team but make sure I have a defender on the bench as first sub if Clichy doesn’t play. Does that sound ok?
From what I can see, he either plays or he doesn’t. Kind of depends on what Pellegrini will do the upcoming weeks now all 4 backs are fit and ready to start. Also, I don’t know what price you bought Clichy at, 5.3m or 5.7m (now). I don’t want to spend that money on a player that might not start. ANyway, I’ve been crazy enough to hold on to Baines for a couple of months now, so to each their own. 😉
I myself always go with the safest option. Couple of weeks ago I went with Cahill (Annoyingly Mourinho said Terry needed to be rested a bit more, and sure he doesn’t freaking rest him and Terry scores 3, arghhhhhhhh). I want to be certain my players play when fit.
twinkle — Any reason you’re doubling and tripling up on SOTON and Aston Villa (Forster, Bertrand; Guzan, Cissokho, Hutton)? Why not bring in someone like Taylor (Swansea) or Jones (Man United) who might be good for some clean sheets or Cresswell (West Ham) who might get some attacking returns. The rest of your team looks good.
Sanchez
I have thought about that but recently when I;ve had clyne/bertrand or Cissokho/Hutton I’ve had a good return regarding a clean sheet. It’s a risk I know but when it pays off it;s good. But I’ll give some more thoughts to other players
Thanks for that
The SOTON double D I can understand but the Villa threesome seems excessive, that’s all!
Another -4 hit for this week and also back to 165k ranking. If there is an FPL god why doesn’t he answer my pleas.?
Aye, the FPL gods have long forsaken us, Burnsy, but we have been given a chance at redemption with the January wildcard. Use it well, and you may achieve salvation.
That, or you can just sell your soul to Satan. I heard that’s easier, if don’t take that being “tortured in hell for eternity” stuff into consideration.
NIN,
I like Wisdom and Hutton on the back line, but I’m not sure about Dummett (and the uncertainty of a new coach). I expect you already have Boyd.
Questions. If you’re playing your WC now, are you holding back funds for Aguero-will he be your only uncertainty? And Falcao until then? As I’m trigger-happy myself, I’m trying to hold off until January 17-both di Maria and Aguero should be back?
Best of the new year.
Same dilemma re Kun’s replacement. Costa / Shrek / RVP…
Okay Gents
Could really use some second opinions on my Wildcard team.
Considering who to use to hold Kun’s spot. Rooney /RVP / Costa / ?
And keep Downing? Or switch to siggy / someone else?
Any comments on my keepers / anything ekse?!
Thanks!
J.
Looks good, James. Kind of like Skrtel in there (possible attacking and maybe even clean sheets if Pool get their act together at the back, I guess). I might be tempted to go safer with Naylor or Jones (although United’s defense is also somewhat shaky still!).
Or double up on SOTON instead of United with Alderwierd (5.0). Their fixtures don’t look that bad as per Uniteds. Williams instead of Naylor for more bonus points might work also.
Good evening all.
Debating whether to activate my wildcard what do u think?
shanec: No need to WC in my opinion. Decent enough team for the next few weeks. Keep it for possible injuries, new January transfer signings, players returning, etc.
Cheers Sanchez might wc week 22 international week