Transfer round up Part 5
We have allowed the transfers to settle a while having blitzed them all last week but it looks as though many teams have been adding talent since. Swansea have gone back to the tried and trusted and may have unearthed fantasy gold as well as adding someone to supply that gold with chances, West Ham have strengthened their attack once more and Stoke have decided to test the Barca theory (‘but can he hack it on a cold Wednesday night in Stoke…’). We are delighted that say that Bryan Munich has had his finger on the pulse of the transfer activity since our last update and here is his take on the latest signings in the top flight…
Gylfi Sigurdsson (Mid – 6.0)
Maybe there’s something in the air. Maybe it’s that Lego movie. Whatever the reason, nostalgia is the new future. Retro is the new modern. Premier League teams are going back to the future. If your club doesn’t have a new old face then you’re SO last year… oh… which would… actually make you retro, so that would maybe be OK… hey, can we go over the rules again?
Gylfi Sigurdsson, or ‘Siggy’ as he’s known in FPL circles by lazy typists, is firmly strapped into his DeLorean and turning back the dial to 2012, when he managed 7 goals and 5 assists in 18 games. In the blink of an eye, he now goes from being an unappealingly priced 6.0 squad member for Spurs to a bargain 6.0 figurehead for Swansea. Even with limited game time at Spurs, his 8 goals and 5 assists over the two seasons illustrate further that the Icelander gets the job done whenever called upon. A full season at the Liberty Stadium could make a mockery of his price tag.
Were the Swans’ opening fixture at a lesser side than a resurgent Man Utd, the Siggy bandwagon would surely be full steam ahead. From GW2 onwards, though, his appeal steepens sharply. Get ready for some Siggy stardust.
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Ben Davies (Def – 5.0)
The FPL site seem curiously keen on making sure we don’t call the London club ‘Tottenham Hotspur’. Nope, it’s just ‘Spurs’ this season guys. It doesn’t bother me, but it’s going to really wind up the OCD managers out there who’ll now have to re-alphabetize their DVDs.
Hi-fiving Siggy on the M4, coming the other way, Ben Davies will be keen to make a longer lasting impression at White Hart Lane. 3 goals and 3 assists in two seasons is arguably rather modest for a flying full-back, but we all saw what Pochettino did with Luke Shaw at Southampton. Ben Davies is very much in that mould and it should be an exciting season for the Welsh left-back under the visionary Argentinian’s management.
His pricing compares him favourably with other fullbacks at ‘big’ clubs. (Ivanovic 7.0, Zabaleta 6.5, Luis 6.0, Shaw 6.0, G. Johnson 5.5, Debuchy 5.5,) None more strikingly than teammate Kyle Walker, who will surely now struggle to covet our affections for Spurs coverage with Davies on the other flank and a full 1.0 cheaper.
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Jefferson Montero (Mid – 6.0)
This 24 year-old winger signed from Mexican club Morelia on a 4 year contract. The ex-Villareal flanker started all 3 of Ecuador’s World Cup games, though arguably only did himself justice against the Swiss. It would be easy to dismiss this transfer as yet another trendy post-World Cup knee-jerk purchase, but in actual fact the Swans had been courting him since March. He’ll be a like-for-like swap with the departing Pablo Hernandez, though he gives Garry Monk the added dimension of operating on either side.
Montero’s a small, but pacy and direct winger who loves to attack defenders. He’s not the finished product yet, as his final ball often disappoints. But you can expect him to give defenders uncomfortable decisions to make in the box, and he’s scored some spectacular goals at both club and international level to date. A Michu-spearheaded Swansea would have certainly helped his assist production, but Sigurdsson charging forward alongside him will somewhat balance things back out; and if Bony hangs around at the Liberty Stadium, all three Swansea players could well be a rich source of assists and goals.
It’s worth noting however that he’s been a bit of a journeyman despite his youth and playing in the Premier League will be a cultural upheaval for him. Whether he settles will determine how well gauged his price of 6.0 really is.
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Enner Valencia (Fwd – 7.0)
Having now mastered the art of being perennially unavailable through injuries and suspensions, Andy Carroll has given Big Sam no option but to bring in strikers that, y’know, play. Supplementing fellow summer acquisition Mauro Zarate, the Hammers could well field a new look front two come kick-off.
As a boy, young Enner used to help out on his father’s farm, and legend (i.e. the Internet) has it that he sold milk to fund his first pair of football boots. When Allardyce was asked what drew him to the former milkboy’s talents, Sam may have retorted with this three pronged pun-fest, “He can skim past opponents; his delivery’s good; and he can go pasteurize in no time.”
Valencia, nicknamed ‘Superman’ for his power and pace, shined in Brazil with 3 goals for Ecuador. Whether the FA will allow him to wear his underpants outside his shorts has yet to be confirmed. Let’s hope not. West Ham are rumoured to have paid £12m, close to the club record £15m they shelled out for Carroll, so expectations will be high.
There’s every reason to believe the 25 year-old can indeed meet said expectations. He boasts an astonishing strike rate of late. His World Cup exploits took his international tally to 7 goals in 12 games; while last season he netted 18 times in 23 appearances for Mexican side Pachuca. If he hits the ground running, he could well become quickly in demand at 7.0.
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Bojan Krkic (Fwd – 5.5)
Eight. It took just eight words to set in motion one of the most unlikely transfers this summer.
“I will join if you sign Phil Bardsley.”
Bojan Krkic had unenviable expectations bestowed upon him at a young age. ‘The next Messi’. Come on now, even the current Messi didn’t have to cope with being called ‘the next Messi’. Such a label would have surely suffocated Lionel’s progress, and then there’s issues about time-travel, blah blah blah.
At 23, it seems rather unfair that Krkic’s image has already been tarnished as a disappointment in not reaching such unattainable heights. The flip-side is that Stoke may have landed a bargain to end all bargains. With a £3m price tag that will barely register on the Premier League’s hyperactive spendometer, the Potters could very well have on their hands a hungry young forward with a lot to prove and bags of potential still to surface.
Being categorized as a striker in FPL doesn’t do the Spaniard international too many favours. The winger wasn’t prolific in his loan spell at Ajax last season. 4 goals in 24 games doesn’t get the blood pumping and even his meagre 3 assists suggests he has work to do. He should benefit from the ‘completed dribbles’ aspect of the newly tweaked BPS system, though, as he’ll dribble more than an old man salivating in the front row of a beauty pageant.
At 5.5 strikers don’t come much cheaper, so if Bojan becomes an integral part of Mark Hughes’ reinvented Britannia brand, FPL managers may well be looking at their very own bargain; and Stoke City fans could soon be lauding a new Messi-ah. Or maybe just a very naughty boy (Hi, Python fans).
Evening Football Friends
Please RMT
De Gea (Krul)
Luis, B.Davies, C.Davies (Wisdom) (Duff)
Hazard, Mata, Ramsey, Siggy (Davis)
Rooney, Costa, Jelavic
Think i’m getting there now 😉 Thoughts?
Good looking team there! Not much to tweak I reckon. My only question (and its one for myself as well). Are people not too worried that Siggy plays away to United? Potential 2 pointer. I am thinking of having him or waiting till GW2.
I’m glad someone has mentioned that KungFu. I thought I was out there on my own. I’d love to have him from GW1 on the bench, to save me a transfer, but I can’t find a way yet.
Yeah was thinking this myself, might put Adam in there for Week 1 and use my free transfer for Siggy in week 2?
Or play a 4-3-3 for first GW?
I was thinking the same with Tadic (Liverpool away) do you think it’d be worth having Arnie in first and then swapping Tadic back in?
Maybe play a 4-3-3 but then….Siggy could do well? Just to annoy us. With LVG I expect United to be much tighter at the back so therefore the interrogations!
MH – I think you are the first I’ve seen to mention Adam that I’ve seen. Why so unpopular this year?
No idea, pretty sure he still takes the free kicks, corners and penaltys
Excellent question, perhaps we should go for Montero then. 😉
Mmmmmmmmh let us all take a minute and dwell on this………
Haha I am looking forward for the days were we can say “I have 2,5 ITB” because right now the 100 million budget is all we got and putting 6mil on the bench is not optimal! 😉 I was thinking of playing 3-5-2 with Siggy but now may have to change it up and play 3-4-3 for GW1 with a 6mil forward. Will it affect your formation as well Bryan?
This is crazy our teams are identical madhatter lol
That or he just copy pasted yours. 😉
Yeah i’d not be suprised… considering my vast knowledge of fantasy football and god like team selection. I’d copy mine too
😉 😉 😉
I just copied mine. 😛
Making notitions how often my team has changed. See if there is a pattern. At 5 teams at the moment.
Not any more lol
Is Henderson not a starter for the Pool?
FPL wise he is not even coming close to being on my radar. But who knows…perhaps this years Ramsey??
He wouldn’t be a bad choice from the 6.0 price range if he plays regularly. Not sure he will though
I can’t see him offering the same attacking returns as Ramsay, given how many goals Sturridge, Lallana, Coutinho and even Gerrard will be taking off him. Could be in for a few assists maybe. But even at 6.0 I think Sigz, Snodgrass and Puncheon offer much better value.
good argument, I don’t have him in my team, was just considering him.
Well last year he and Gerrard were very good together. I do not see who will play in his place? So according to me he is a starter…but that’s just me! But not the typical player that will get you big point hauls week in week out! If I am not wrong only 3 times did he get more than 10 points last year in a GW.
The plot thickens at Southampton. Not that it could get any thicker. It’s already so thick that even Robin Thicke wouldn’t thicken it.
One minute I read reports that the Saints aren’t selling Schneiderlin. Then I see Schneiderlin Tweet this:
“6 years of an amazing journey #saintsfc DESTROYED in 1 hour !!!”
Just, wow! Wtf is going on at that club.
Bryan – do u know the context to his tweet?
No, it’s all rather confusing. I keep trying to refresh his page, but the comments would update. He’s certainly being retweeted at a fair pace though!!
Perhaps it’s to do with Kruegers statement that he wouldn’t be sold
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/07/29/tottenham-target-morgan-schneiderlin-slams-southampton-with-cryptic-tweet/
I saw that. Shit has gone down!
What do you guys think of G.Murray looking good in preseason ?
Jeet – he faces a lot of competition for a spot I would think.
Money no object, Eriksen or De Jong ?
Eriksen !
Eriksen to start anyway.
Agreed Eriksen for now. De Jong may well hit the ground running so just join the bandwagon later on.
Is Santi nailed to start now Arsenal have a few players out of the first few games?
He should start every game. (Biased I am mate).
Anyway,from the logical point of view he should. He should feature on the right with Sanchez pushed up. Or can shift to the middle giving Alexis room on the left, Ozil taking more of a free role.
*left I mean..
Plus Wally’s gonna be out injured,so yes….Santi/Ox will see gametime I reckon.
Caz – who played the left most of last year? Don’t recall. I know Pod played a little.
I think he’s nailed until Walcott returns. Then Sanchez will probably take his spot on the left.