Team Talk Fantasy Football Gameweek 1
Well, finally it’s here. After weeks of creating, tinkering, reassessing, trying different formations, discussing different ideas, GW1 has arrived. We look forward to a fun season of FPL, with some exciting new additions to the Barclays Premier League. In comes Louis van Gaal at Man United, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa at Chelsesa and Alexis Sanchez down at the Emirates. We welcome Leicester, Burnley and ‘Arry’s QPR back to the top flight. We look forward to seeing the magic disappearing spray, but reports that Jack Wilshire and Andy Carroll have ordered extra supplies have not been confirmed. We greet the emergence of the new club, Scousehampton. We’ve seen Mauricio Pochettino change clubs moving from the South Coast to Spurs, while Frank Lampard has left Chelsea to go to New York, via Manchester City, if that makes sense. But with all these additions and new things, they are always goodbyes and we’ve had to say “adios” to Luis Suarez, that wonderful example of a man, who has decided to ply his trade down in Spain, after his short sabbatical. Gone too is his old sparring partner Patrice Evra, who joins Cashley down in the warmer climes of Italy. And just when you thought that was it, we’ve already had the first managerial casualty of the season as last season’s manager of the year Tony Pulis, has parted company with Crystal Palace, less than 48 hours before their first game of the season. Never dull is it?!
So here we are, back to Presser Friday. Let’s go Around the Grounds to check up on the latest news for GW1.
Man Utd vs Swansea (Sat 16 Aug 12.45)
In his first news conference, LVG has already given more clarity than Moyes did in seven months. RVP, Jonny Evans, Michael Carrick, Danny Welbeck, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia will all miss out due to injury or lack of fitness in RVP’s case. Rafael is fit again and could slot straight back into the right wing-back slot. Marvin Emmes and Leon Britton miss the trip to Old Trafford, but better news of Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge, who are both expected to be in contention to feature. Kyle Bartley is likely to partner Ashley Williams at the heart of the defence, with Angel Rangel and Neil Taylor filling the full-back roles.
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Leicester vs Everton (Sat 16 Aug 15.00)
The big news is that reports are coming in that Ross Barkley has been injured in training and could be ruled out for 6-8 weeks. Roberto Martinez was coy on the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas and Seamus Coleman – though all three have trained well this week, the boss is concerned about rushing them back, so be warned. Bryan Oviedo and Arouna Kone are both still out. Naismith will play though, so the Gladys Street mob will be happy.
Leicester winger Anthony Knockaert should be available after recovering from a knock, while Marc Albrighton is almost certainly out. Striker Jamie Vardy is unlikely to make the game, while Matthew Upson is out for a few weeks.
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QPR vs Hull (Sat 16 Aug 15.00)
Hull have no injury worries for the weekend – expect new signings Tom Ince and Robert Snodgrass to make their league debuts for the club. Striker Yannick Sagbo is suspended.
Loic Remy is expected to be fit for Rangers, but not so maverick Adel Taarabt who hasn’t trained, isn’t fit and is likely to leave the club if anyone is mad enough to pay for him. ‘Arry has no other injury concerns.
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Stoke vs Aston Villa (Sat 16 Aug 15.00)
Villa strikers Christian Benteke and Libor Kozak remain injured. Joe Cole has trained this week, while Ron Vlaar has stepped up his work after his late arrival from the World Cup and is expected to play. New recruits Philippe Senderos, Kieran Richardson and Ally Cissokho are set to make their debuts.
Mark Hughes says his Stoke squad has no injuries, so all eyes will be on whether he will start with FPL cheapie Bojan Krkic. Robert Huth will be keen to put an injury ravaged season behind him, while the battle for the right back slot will likely be won initially by Phil Bardsley. Hughes said due to the nature of a fully fit squad, some “senior” players will miss out tomorrow.
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West Brom vs Sunderland (Sat 16 Aug 15.00)
The Baggies will be without Joleon Lescott, while James Morrison, Stephane Sessegnon, Brown Ideye and Gareth McAuley are all doubtful
For Sunderland, Emmanuele Giachcherini faces a late fitness test. Billy Jones is doubtful, while Jack Rodwell could feature, but Poyet says he is not yet ready to play 90mins. The Mannone vs Pantilimon debate intrigues many, with most reports suggest Mannone will get the nod.
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West Ham vs Spurs (Sat 16 Aug 15.00)
Enner Valencia, Matt Jarvis and Andy Carroll (obviously) will all miss out. Big Sam says there are a few other players carrying minor knocks (believed to be Demel, and Jenkinson) but not bad enough to stop them featuring. Ravel Morrison won’t play as he sorts out his, errrr…problems.
Spurs have issues at the back, so they’ll be thankful they’re playing West Ham. Jan Vertonghen, Michael Dawson, Kyle Walker and Vlad Chiriches are all doubts for the match, while Mousa Dembele, Paulinho and Nacer Chadli ate also unlikely to play.
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Arsenal vs Crystal Palace(Sat 16 Aug 17.30)
Wenger to field a similar squad to the Charity Shield. Germans Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski are still not ready. Laurent Koscielny is expected to recover from his achilled injury in time for the game. Theo Walcott, David Ospina and Serge Gnabry remain sidelined.
Managerless Palace are likely to hand debuts to Fraizer Campbell and Brede Hangeland, while Damien Delaney and Jonathan Williams will need to be assessed. Adrian Mariappa is expected to be ok.
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Sothampton vs Southampton reserves(Sun 17 Aug 13.30)
Liverpool will be without Jon Flanagan, Daniel Agger and new recruits Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic for the visit of their feeder club. Dejan Lovren will make his league debut against his old club, but Alberto Loreno won’t be available due to the paperwork not being completed in time.
Saints boss Koeman says he is undecided whether new striker Shane Long will feature at Anfield. Frankly the Dutchman is in grave danger of becoming my new enemy this season as he gave out no injury news. I will give him a second chance next season, but this doesn’t bode well. Obviously J-Rod is still missing.
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Newcastle vs Man City (Sun 17 Aug 16.00)
Newcastle will be without Siem de Jong, Chieck Tiote, Papiss Cisse and Davide Santon through injury. Emmanuel Riviere, Jack Colback and Remy Cabella should all make their league debuts for the club, while Yoan Gouffran is expected to be available.
Pellegrini says that Alvaro Negredo is the only player to be ruled out with injury, but did say a few of his World Cup players will not be fit for the game – these are thought to include Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Fernandinho. New signing Eliaquim Mangala is not expected to be in the squad, while Sergio Aguero, who the manager refused to rule out of the game, said that he didn’t expect to be ready until GW2.
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Burnley vs Chelsea (Mon 18 Aug 20.00)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche begin their comeback to the Premier League with a virtually fully-fit squad, with striker Sam Vokes the only casualty. Summer signings Lukas Jutkiewicz, Michael Kightly, Steven Reid, Marvin Sordell and Matt Taylor will all be hoping to make their debuts.
The Special One reports that Didier Drogba is the only real concern for the Blues. Ramires is suspended, but everyone else is available, so hold on to your hats and cross yoiur fingers hoping that your Chelsea players have escaped the rotation gun.
Foster Krul
P.Jones Terry N.Taylor Bruce Dunne
Ramsey Hazard Mata Sigurdsson S.Davis
Rooney Costa Austin
or
Foster Krul
P.Jones Terry N.Taylor Bruce Debuchy
Ramsey Henderson Mata Sigurdsson S.Davis
Rooney Costa Dzeko
FFS. I’m looking at both teams and they look the same…
are you messing with me/???????????
Wait… I’m messing with you… 😛
I think both teams are equal. Can’t say I favor one over the other. Sorry.
Lol Raz !! I thought that to start with…
EBC,
The second team for me mate.
Oi! Chins, you’re banned pal, get back to your 50th birthday celebrations please
It’s getting older as the night progresses !!!
His joke you mean? 😉
Sorry Chins, Happy 35th Birthday. That ones accurate and genuine.
Anyone think Isla will play for QPR this week
RMT please. LAST ONE!!!(hopefully)!!!
Haz looks strong. That GK issue been sorted at Sunderland then?
Do you mean Mannone injury Innit??? What’s he done??
hopefully init!!! like red posted earlier… do i gamble on mannone or do i bring in both sunderland keepers, and sub in krul next week. krul faces city this week.
Yeah, if anyone knows please tell us!! Right now I’m thinking about getting both Sunderland keepers to start and bringing in Krul for whomever doesn’t start in gw 2. Is that crazy??
reports are favouring mannone apparently, but don’t think anyone can tell!!
Yes, a bit because it isn’t guaranteed that whoever starts will stay first choice. CP was brought in as competition.
What about Foster and Krul to start with then bring in a Sunderland keeper when you have a spare sub, it’s not like they have great fixtures to start anyway.
Thanks EBC, that’s def something to think about. WBA is going to have a tough season I think, but at least Foster would be good for some save points even if they get shelled!
I like it. In a way it’s just like my team but with Bojan and Barton.
For me it’s Jovetic and Albrighton. 
I wouldn’t bother with a playing second keeper if I was you. Play de gea every week and spend the 0.5 on upgrading a defender.
Final draft what does everyone think?
ZOMG, I see a porn link…
J/k, team looks good/strong. Only must have I’m missing is Diego Costa.
yeah for me swell, costa looks a gun, i guess it can be easily fixed by swapping dud out of roo/danny!
For me Rooney and Mata are both a must now RvP won’t be playing the first match. Plus United’s fixtures looking way better than Pool’s. That’s just me though. It’s the same reason why I went all out on Chelsea coverage.
its my friend pc wouldnt be suprised 😉 i back sturridge to outscore diego costa so not too worried
Hacko I’m with you on Sturridge. Got Costa too just in case mind!
init – You going with the three amigo’s up top then? Rooney, Studge and Costa? Serious $ there!
Hacko – Team looks fine mate. Risky to go without Costa but if you feel Sturridge is the better option then that’s fine. Solid team there.
Think so NIN. Serious $ yes but serious points too in theory. Ignoring the impact elsewhere let me put it this way –
Bojan or Sturridge
Yeah, no comparison there! I’m gonna bring him in later i think.
Init, I know i want all of them, i just dont know if i want to sacrifice that balance in my team, theres just nobody who sticks out besides the 3 big hitters, thats why im willling to wait a bit and see who might be a performer in that lower range, that way i might not have to make wholesale changes early on. All the major pundits seem to be going big 3 or roo, costa and jovetic. P.S i read a cool interview with Tom Fenley sturridge is his captain fir GW1.
Ok, sorry guys. I know I’ve been a drag to deal with tonight. Been f-ing looking at my team for hours and hours. What a wasteful evening. On that note, you kids aren’t the only one giving me the evil eye at the moment. So I really need to go, lol. But just before I do… Please tell me what you think of my team.
It looks almost identical to the FF247 team.. Haha 1 player different I think.
Maybe been looking that little bit too long… You should do well Raz mate 😉
Ummm 5 different players mate. 😉
That’s only because everybody is on me for having Pelle. So I had to swap him to someone else, worth the money. For GW1 that will be Jovetic, GW2 Jovetic will be Pelle.
My team will look different soon enough. Think most teams look a like. Sighs. Only thing I changed last minute is the Pelle thing. To think I started with Krul, Janmaat, deJong, Tadic and Pelle. None of them left, lol.
Ah ok. Just pulling your plank anyway mate. You have a good team..
I saw your first team with janmaat and pellets and tadic and I liked it.. That’s the problem with having a month to set your team. Too many choices raz.
Good luck all the same though bud.
What do you think to my team ?
Oooh, I think Lovren will do great this season and Pool should be more solid in the back. For me, I wanted to start with United coverage in the back (and Chelsea, like you).
Hmmm, I think QPR should do well in the long run but I do think they conceded a few goals. Taylor + Dunne = Pieters and another 4m defender. Pieters has like a billion good fixtures to start with. I’m guessing you’d start Pieters, Terry, Lovren every week. Hmmm. If not that you could go with Chambers for the first GW.
Midfield are choices. I like how you went for Lamela, he could do well this season. Dzeko should compensate for the lack of points Henderson gives you. 😛
Solid team Raz & it will do well. Personally not sure about Henderson but can alwys be swapped out if Siggi or Snoddy is performing better. Good luck.
Sory that previous post was for your team Demsie.
Your team is solid Raz … just a plan needed for Chambers! Midfield & front 3 is cracking.
Like it raz, only thing I would say is swap albrighton to a playing 4.5 mid and maybe duff to wisdom or Hutton
Hmmm, think Albrighton in the long run will de much better than any other 4.5 mid. Already have Baird, so Wisdom would be double WBA coverage. Hutton could be an option. In some match previews he’s a starter in others not.
Great team, looks live everyone elses pretty much!!
Tnx. I think. 😛
Eriksen & Davis or Sterling & 4.5m MF (which one??)?