I really like this picture. Tomorrow is the open of the Premiership season, which means today I will offer my opinions for fantasy football(soccer). Much like the game itself, fantasy football(soccer) is a pragmatic game of fewer categories and points than other fantasy sports. With a limited number of transfers, you can change your team, but you have to be prepared for injuries. Now it's harder to play this in America, yes that is where the roustabout resides, because our local papers don't let us know who is injured and healthy. This means checking a number of websites and setting your teams the night before. Pricing will vary, as will number of players, so you can choose where you want to spend your money.GK: Difficult position, some sites ask for two players and others only one. Since you can lose points here, it's very important to choose a keeper from a top side.
Obvious: Cech, Van Der Sar, Almunia- these boys are the stingiest
Thrifty: Howard- had a great season last year, will Everton's thin squad hurt him
Risky: Friedel- may lose his place to Guzan, but Villa has a rock of a defense
Final thoughts: There are questions about David James' age and that of his defense, Almunia has an easy start, but I'd stick with the big boys
Defender: Again, you can lose points at this position so you must be careful. Goals are worth a lot, so you can look for a prolific defender, but you definitely want top half of the table.
Obvious: Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool- again, they keep clean sheets
Thrifty: Johnson, Hreidarsson will get you some good points for a lower price
Risky: Leighton Baines- love this kid, hell of a left foot, just question whether Everton will be as tight at the back
Final thoughts: Lescott and Laursen can't be expected to have the high scoring seasons they did last season, but with Everton's thin squad, Villa's rebuilt defense and Portsmouth age issues it's a gamble
Midfielder: You can't lose points here, so feel free to pluck from the bottom half of the table. Ronaldo was huge last year, but lightning doesn't strike twice.
Obvious: Gerrard, Barry, Fabregas, Lampard, Bentley- all obvious
Thrifty: Taylor, Elano, Milner, Kapo, Geovanni- all are cheaper than the big boys, but midfield leaders for their team and should give you solid points
Risky: Nasri, Nani, Malbranque, Richardson, Deco- They are all in new situations(Nani should play more and Richardson is healthy) so they could score big or disappoint
Final thoughts: This is where I think you should take risks because they can pay off. Gerrard and Lampard will cost more than three of the thrifty players so decide how you want to spend your money. Someone else to watch is Ashley Young, who can be listed as mf or striker. I definitely like to pull from middle of the table in this category
Strikers: These guys are the most expensive, they grab the goals and the glory, but be careful about spending too much on them. A lone striker on a relegated team can often score as many as someone who's part of a pair at the top.
Obvious: Torres, Tevez, Van Persie, Agbonlahor- They will all grab you a bunch
Thrifty: Owen, Jo, Yakubu, Alves- Owen and Jo need to prove themselves, Yakubu and Alves need to keep doing what they do
Risky: Ashton, Kitson, Bent- They have all performed in the Premiership before, but can they this season?
Final thoughts: Berbatov, Santa Cruz and Keane are all big scorers who I didn't include. They would definitely be a risk, where will they be playing and how will they fit in?
My squad: Reina, Van Der Sar, Vidic, Evra, Carvalho, Clichy, Gallas, Elano, Taylor, Kapo, Arteta, Barry, Yakubu, Bent, Van Persie
One Liners
- Zenit to cut Arshavin price, now accepting rubles
- Hamburg ties Bayern 2-2 in opener, Kompany spends first half on bench for poorly behaved
- Mendes moves to Rangers, Redknapp needs more funds and less police raids
- King and Woodgate healthy for opener, that's not a joke
- Pizarro loaned to Bremen, that's a step above Hull right
