Eight red cards, thirty two goals and more talking points than a Peter Andre exclusive, Gameweek 11 had everything. Even by the implausibly high standards set in Fantasy Football, this week was a bit special.

Whether you winced as Shay Given batted away James McFadden’s penalty, rejoiced as Jamie Carragher finally got his comeuppance, or sat indifferently as Phil Brown’s tenure at Hull approached its conclusion, chances are you will have had an exciting last seven days in the world of Fantasy Football.

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The Men In Form

Claret and Blue was the colour of the week, with no fewer than five Burgundy boys making up the week’s top scoring team. Graham Alexander of Burnley was the week’s top point scorer with 21 points, the veteran Scot is enjoying his first taste of the Premier League at 37, and his two goals tightened the coffin lid on a hapless Phil Brown.

Portsmouth fans have had little to smile about this season, but things are looking up at the moment. Wigan were worryingly swotted aside 4-0 at a jubilant Fratton Park, with Aruna Dindane grabbing his first league goals with a neatly taken hat-trick, earning him 20 points in the process.

And let’s not forget the big boys too. Robin Van Persie is fast becoming the hottest left footer in the business, with two more goals for Arsenal in their 3-0 derby success over Robbie Keane’s “definitely on a par” Spurs side. Bacary Sagna and Cesc Fabregas also continue to shine, whilst Thomas Vermaelen is fast looking like £10 million well spent.

The Men To Avoid

He was once touted as the next big thing in English football, scoring goals with his head, showing off his incredible athleticism, swearing on TV, but Micah Richards has fallen away since bursting onto the scene in 2005. So much so that he can no longer consider himself first choice at Manchester City. Pablo Zabaleta was playing at right-back this weekend, and with Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany competing for central defensive berths, the feeling is creeping in that Richards may need to leave Eastlands if he is to maximise his undoubted potential.

Same goes for David Bentley at Tottenham. It seems only yesterday that many – including myself – were blindly tipping him for an England starting slot. How he has dropped away since. Against Arsenal, the ex-Blackburn man preened, pouted and strutted his way around the park, offering little by way of genuine threat, and generally irritating with his body language. He has just 3 Fantasy points this season, and when Aaron Lennon comes back, Harry Redknapp will have little hesitation in lancing that particular boil.

Bargain Hunt

Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) – It wasn’t all good news for Arsene Wenger this week. Losing Gael Clichy to a stress fracture of his back for a month is not ideal, but the Frenchman’s replacement is. Kieran Gibbs is quick, smart and uses the ball well. At £4.5m, he also represents the bargain of the century in a swashbuckling Gunners side.

Matthew Etherington (Stoke) – Once upon a time, Matty Etherington and his Peterborough team-mate Simon Davies, were the most sought after property in England. Neither career has really reached the heights they once promised, but Etherington is enjoying a renaissance under Tony Pulis. A goal and an assist against Wolves last week earned him 13 points, and his £5.2m price tag is far from restrictive. Take a punt.

Jack Collison (West Ham) – This kid has talent. End of story. Two assists at Sunderland last week for the Welshman handed him 10 points for the week. His style is reminiscent of someone like Frank Lampard or Paul Scholes, a smart user of the ball, who gets around the pitch. £5.2m equals bargain for this youngster.

Premier League Fixtures

• Aston Villa v Bolton
• Blackburn v Portsmouth
• Man City v Burnley
• Tottenham v Sunderland
• Wolves v Arsenal
• Hull City v Stoke City
• West Ham v Everton
• Wigan v Fulham
• Chelsea v Man Utd
• Liverpool v Birmingham

Obviously the main one is Chelsea v United on Sunday, try to avoid too big a clash in your side for that one. Arsenal look to capitalise on that match with a win at Wolves in Saturday’s evening game, whilst Man City will look to end a run of draws with a home win over Burnley’s travel-sick side. Liverpool have to wait until Monday night to take on Birmingham, with an injury list longer than most people’s list of grievances with Rafa Benitez.

My Team

Well, I jinxed myself. A poor week of 67 points all things considered. Captain Cesc and super Robin Van Persie did me proud, and there were goals for Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney to boot. But my Villa gamble failed, James’ Milner and Collins did nothing in their two games (Milner picked up an injury half-way through his first), and fellow newbies Michael Ballack and Jamie Carragher also didn’t help much.

This week, Carragher is gone. William Gallas of Arsenal is my choice to replace the suspended Scouser. I am considering another, costly, change to my lineup should Milner be ruled out. Gareth Barry is my choice to replace him, but I have faith in my team to bounce back.

FM League

As a result of my poor week, I have slipped down to 4th spot. Two of the first three spots, however, are taken by newcomers, with Ray Wall (Razors Utd) and Pavenpul Bhullar (Messi’s Boca Juniors) sneaking into the top of the league (latecomers, tsk!). Credit though must go to the excellent Jon Reeson and his Westfield Irons, who move into 2nd spot after a 101 point week – thank Alexander, Ashley Young, Lampard and Van Persie for that!

Myself, well I sit 24 points off the lead, but there is still so much to play for.

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It was a momentous week in the Premier League, as we saw Arsenal give further ammunition to those who claim they have a soft centre with a late collapse at West Ham, Nemanja Vidic pick up a third successive red card against Liverpool, Harry Redknapp beg Aaron Lennon not to leave him and Liam Ridgewell play his way into the Fantasy Premier League team of the week. Yes, people, Gameweek 10 had it all. Thrills, spills, and those sweet, sweet points.

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

This week’s Fantasy Football column is brought to you by Soccerlens Babes, and this week’s lovely lady on the right is Asdis Ran, a rocking model and mother from Iceland. We love her, she loves us, it’s a match made in heaven. And we also interviewed her this week: Asdis Ran interview.

The Men in Form

It was a good week to be a Chelsea midfielder, that’s for sure. Blackburn’s squad may have had swine-flu on their mind when they travelled to Stamford Bridge, but Carlo Ancelotti’s diamond geezers still had to swot them aside. And swot them aside they did, with Frank Lampard (14 points), Michael Ballack and Michael Essien (both 11) making up an all-Chelsea midfield in the team of the week. Competition in this position will increase now Joe Cole and his fancy footwork has returned, but Chelsea’s engine room are driving the team forward at the moment.

So too, is Hugo Rodallega at Wigan. The Colombian is a talent and a half, according to South American expert Tim Vickery, and he is wowing the Premier League with his all-round game and inventive finishing. Two goals at Burnley made the Wigan man the week’s top striker, and his season tally of 54 puts him up at the top end of the game’s forwards.

The Men to Avoid

It was a strange week last week, in that my men to avoid actually didn’t do too badly. Nicola Kalinic, Croatian not Serbian of course, picked up a goal – albeit a penalty – in the Carling Cup, but his fellow “avoidee” Lucas Neill collected two assists for Everton at Bolton, and looks set to retain his place this week. But still I persist, and it is fair to say that my record this season is more right than wrong.

Ok so this week my first man to avoid is Javier Mascherano. Avoid him like he is steaming towards you with his studs up. Mascherano is a fine player, one of the best in his position, but at Fantasy level he is more of a hindrance than a help. His red card last week proves this. He will pick up more bookings than assists, and has scored just once in his three year Anfield career. Avoid.

Same goes for Nigel De Jong at Manchester City. Speak to any City midfielder – Gareth Barry for example – and they will sing the Dutchman’s praises. He gives us a platform to attack, they say. He never wastes the ball. Fine, but he also has just 11 points from 8 appearances this season, and has not really threatened to pick up any more. The unsung hero is all well and good, but not too unsung please.

Bargain Hunt

Jamie O’Hara (Portsmouth) – That’s the thing about struggling sides, you always wonder when they will hit form. Pompey have taken four points from their last six, and that is down to players like O’Hara (and my own favourite, Kevin Prince Boateng). The on-loan Spurs midfielder costs just £4.5m, and takes a mean set-piece with his left foot. Three bonus points at Hull last week hint at his potential.

Joe Hart (Birmingham) – The big goalkeepers are not the way forward. That is a fact. Pepe Reina, Edwin Van der Sar and Petr Cech may be the best keepers in the league, but their value is disproportionate. For a couple of million less, you can pick up a bargain like Birmingham’s Joe Hart (£4.1m). The young keeper cannot play this week, as he faces parent club Manchester City, but is very much first choice at St Andrews. Bargain.

Abdoulaye Faye (Stoke) – Stoke keep clean sheets more often than most mid-lower reach sides. And Abdoulaye Faye costs just £4.7m. You do the maths.

Premier League Fixtures

• Arsenal v Tottenham
• Bolton v Chelsea
• Burnley v Hull City
• Everton v Aston Villa
• Fulham v Liverpool
• Portsmouth v Wigan
• Stoke City v Wolves
• Sunderland v West Ham
• Man Utd v Blackburn
• Birmingham v Man City
• West Ham v Aston Villa

A couple of points worth noting. Blackburn take their swine-flu to Old Trafford, having shipped 11 goals at Chelsea and Arsenal. Get a United man in there. Liverpool’s resurgence can continue at Fulham, whilst there is a north London derby to start the weekend. Interestingly, Aston Villa and West Ham players feature twice this week, as the Claret and Blues face off in a re-arranged fixture next Wednesday. A Villain or two may be sensible.

My Team

It has happened. The wildcard has been played. As manager’s may blandly put it, “I just felt I needed to freshen things up”. Fitness doubts over Steven Gerrard played a part, he has gone and Frank Lampard has replaced him. In also come James Collins, James Milner, Jamie Carragher, James Dean, Jay Spearing and Jim Leighton (ok, not the last three). Dave Edwards and Liam Ridgewell make up my new-look squad.

Last week was a so-so week. Captain Didier Drogba picked up 18 points for me, whilst Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Ryan Shawcross all made useful contributions, but by and large it was a week of missed chances.

Football Media League

But I am still top! Albeit by only four points from Jon Eggert Hallsson, but top nonetheless. There are new challengers emerging of course, with 67 point Westfield Irons – under manager Jon Reeson – and Mark White’s 82 point side, The White Oxen. In general though it was a moderate week for most, with 55-60 points the average score. With my reshuffled side set to take on the world this week, will I yield top spot? Or zoom away? I predict the latter. Of course.

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

It was a weekend dominated by beach balls, by petty squabbles and by surprise results. Defeats for Chelsea and Liverpool showed the world that the big four monopoly on the Premier League is far from permanent, whilst in Lancashire Blackburn and Burnley re-introduced the nation to their own, explosive rivalry. It all went into the melting pot to make for a fascinating week in football, real and fantasy.

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

And if you’re wondering who that wonderful lady on the right is – that’s Francoise Boufhal. If you’re wondering why she’s there…Francoise Boufhal people, pay attention!.

Listen to this week’s Soccerlens Podcast, where Adrian Clarke and Iain Spragg discuss Liverpool’s problems in detail, preview the Liverpool v United and West Ham v Arsenal games and also talk to celebrated author and journalist Andy Mitten [podcast link].

The Men in Form

In Fantasy Football terms, it was a week for goalscoring defenders, for enigmatic midfielders, and powerful strikers. Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Chelsea came via the heads of defenders James Collins and Richard Dunne, the central defensive pairing brought in Martin O’Neill at the end of the past transfer window, and fast helping propel Villa up the table. Dunne already has two goals to his name, whilst Collins capped a week in which he captained Wales for the first time with his first Premier League goal for three years.

In midfield, it was Kevin Prince-Boateng (a pick in this column recently), David Dunn and Luis Valencia who emerged from inconsistency to produce the kind of displays we all knew they were capable of. Boateng & Dunn are in fine form, and look rejuvenated after long spells of anonymity.

Up front, power and height was the order of the day. James Beattie may have decided the best way to celebrate a scrambled winner for Stoke City against West Ham was to bash the life out of an advertising hoarding, but his 13 points made him the week’s top points scorer, whilst there were big weeks for young Blackburn striker Franco Di Santo – including a first Premier League goal – and Fulham’s usually-points-shy Bobby Zamora.

The Men to Avoid

Not all new signings slot straight into a side’s line-up you know. Supporters may get all excited when their club announces a new arrival – unless it is Tommy Smith or Andriy Voronin of course – but managers need to find a way of accommodating the player into a settled (or unsettled) side, they need to ingratiate the player with their team-mates, establish their fitness, and make sure the supporters stay onside.

Considering this, it would be wise to steer clear of one or two recent signings who are yet to make their way into their club’s first team. Lucas Neill was a very late arrival at Everton, signing last month after his release from West Ham in the summer. He has Premier League pedigree, with the Hammers and Blackburn, and commands a value of £5.5m, but is yet to feature for the Toffees, as the likes of Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin and Joseph Yobo marshal the Blues’ defence. Stay away.

Likewise Nicola Kalinic at Blackburn. The young Serbian was coveted by Portsmouth (of course) before making a big-money switch to Ewood Park, but following a slow start in Lancashire, the 21 year old has managed just 122 minutes of action, picking up just 4 points. Avoid.

Bargain Hunt

Kevin Doyle (Wolves) – It was always going to be a shrewd piece of business by Mick McCarthy. Signing Doyle from Reading may have cost Wolves £5.5m, but he is repaying his fee quickly with a string of fine displays. A goal at Goodison Park on Saturday took him to three in four games, and he has picked up an impressive 30 points already this season. £5.4m could be spent much less wisely.

Martin Petrov (Manchester City) – Manchester City may have spent huge sums on vast arrays of attacking talent, but in recent weeks it has been the Bulgarian who has been the driving force behind the side’s impressive run. Two goals in his last two outings have given him a healthy tally of 26 points from just four games, and it is hard to find a sweeter left foot in the league. Especially for £6.7m.

Gary Neville (Manchester Utd) – It would be the greatest comeback since Take That (although far more annoying). Neville has seen his last two years ruined by injury, but his rebirth could well be upon us. Two starts all season may not prove this definitively, and United do have more right backs than most sides, but the veteran played again in midweek – nearly scoring a peach as well – and is doing everything right. He may be an irritant, but he is a cheap(ish) one.

Premier League Fixtures

• Wolves v Aston Villa
• Birmingham v Sunderland
• Burnley v Wigan
• Hull City v Portsmouth
• Tottenham v Stoke City
• Chelsea v Blackburn
• Bolton v Everton
• Liverpool v Man Utd
• Man City v Fulham
• West Ham v Arsenal

Points to be earned at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea welcome a Blackburn side leaking goals like Katie Price leaks stories, and at White Hart Lane as Tottenham welcome Stoke City’s travel-sick side. Liverpool v Manchester Utd is the weekend’s big game, but injuries and selection headaches may cause problems for Fantasy managers. Elsewhere there is another Lancashire derby for Burnley as Wigan head to Turf Moor, whilst Hull and Pompey play out a relegation six-pointer at the KC Stadium.

My Team

Well, let’s face it, I am flying. Another solid week from Cesc Fabregas as captain gave me 16 points to build on, and there were hefty contributions from Boateng (Kevin) and Turner (Michael) from my bench. All three forwards were again on target, and Charles N’Zogbia came good with 7 precious points.

Quick decision this week. Emiliano Insua is looking less and less like a top class defender by the week, and goes out. In comes Micah Richards, at a reduced fee of £5.4m. He will certainly play the next game as Pablo Zabaleta sits out through suspension, and has a chance to relaunch his season after a slow start.

Football Media League

Well look at that. Who sits on top? I sit on top. My 74 points obliterated the gap to long-term leader Jon Eggert Hallsson, and I now have a three point gap of my own. Other climbers were Andy Roach’s StrawBears and Joe Cassidy’s Savage Cabbage, but few could match the Baroque Social’s stunning ascent this week. Let’s see how different it is leading from the front eh? But didn’t I tell you all to listen to me? Smugness should well be removed by this time next week!

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

Just when you think you couldn’t have any more love for a footballer, Cesc Fabregas goes and does something stupid like that! A goal, four assists, and a performance that even De Niro would have been proud of, and the Spaniard is guiding teams up and down the country to Fantasy League glory.

He wasn’t alone of course, the little men had their day too. Kamil Zayatte, Andre Bikey, Hasim Yebda & Steven Fletcher all got themselves some lovely points, as Fantasy Football takes a break this week for that set of darned World Cup qualifiers.

The Men In Form

Well Fabregas obviously. His goal, assists and bonus points gave him a monstrous 22 points (double that if you were clever enough, like me, to give him the captain’s armband), and take him comfortably clear as the game’s top scoring midfielder.

Elsewhere, Richard Dunne bounced back from rejection by Manchester City with a dominant display against his old side for new club Aston Villa. A headed goal, his first for Villa, and a solid display all-round gave Dunney 11 points and moves him into the top six defenders.

But even Dunne cannot compete with the form of another Arsenal player, Thomas Vermaelen. The Belgian may not be clean-sheeting his way to the top, but his ferocious equaliser against Blackburn last week was his fourth Premier League goal of the season – with an assist thrown in – and the former Ajax man is now officially the hottest property in the game. At £7m however, he is a bank-breaker.

The Men to Avoid

Well for every ying, there is a yang. Arsenal and their attacking play was very much the ying. How about Blackburn’s defence? Yang. Rovers had the temerity to twice take the lead at the Emirates, but their defence consisted of four full backs. Four pretty poor full backs too. Six goals shipped meant that no Rovers defender picked up points, and things don’t look too rosy in the Allardyce garden ahead of a local derby with Burnley.

Martin Skrtel, at one point, looked like being the next Nemanja Vidic. Bald head, ferocious glare, no-nonsense style. So what has happened? The Slovakian has played six games this season and scored 8 points. Four yellow cards show he is struggling, and Liverpool have kept just two clean sheets all season. His value has dropped to £5.8m, but with Daniel Agger ready to return soon, that may even be too steep.

Do you know who Spurs’ most expensive defender is? Ledley King? Jonathan Woodgate? Goalscoring hero Vedran Corluka? No, its Gareth Bale. Yep, Gareth Bale, who has played a total of seven minutes this season. At £5.4m, the Welshman may offer a goal threat with his set-pieces and daring raids, but that is only when he actually gets onto the pitch. Which is not something you can really afford the gamble on, is it?

Bargain Hunt

Joe Hart (Birmingham) – This gets harder each week, it has to be said. But Joe Hart’s form for Birmingham this season has been good enough to earn him an albeit belated call-up to Fabio Capello’s England squad. He may have been culpable for Burnley’s opener at the weekend, but he is in good form and at £4.2m he is a very good cheap goalkeeper.

Kevin Prince Boateng (Portsmouth) – They had to come good sooner of later. Pompey’s first win of the season was welcomed far beyond the south coast, but the contribution of this young German was not ignored. Boateng has a reputation for being a difficult customer, but seems to have settled quickly at Portsmouth, a goal and an assist already, and the former Spurs man looks nifty at £5m.

David Nugent (Burnley) – Mocked at Pompey, reborn at Burnley. Nugent will probably never get another chance to pinch a goal for England, but he is finally getting the chance to show he can cut it at Premier League level. Two goals on his home debut was proof enough, but the former Preston man added to that with a smart all-round display, and assist, against Birmingham. £5.2m for a striker who will start most games? Do it.

My team

Well, what can I say? I don’t write the “expert opinion” for nothing you know. Captain Fabregas and his merry men led me to a glorious 80 point-week. My three strikers – Drogba, Bent and Van Persie – all made contributions, but it was Cesc and his 44 points which really made my week, and propelled me up my leagues.

Football Media League

Including this one! 80 points this week threw me into third place in the Football Media League. Only the in-form Jon Eggert Hallsson’s Handavinna (528 points) and James Newman and his lid lickers (502 points) stand above me, although competition is fierce with Andy Roach’s Strawbears creeping ominously into the top five on the back of a big fat Fabregas inspired week.

You can join the Football Media league here.

Fernando Torres & Robbie Keane could have been the deadliest double act since Starsky & Hutch, had Rafa Benitez not thought otherwise. As it happens they had to settle last week for separate feats, separate plaudits, and separate points hauls.

Torres could realistically have expected to be the week’s king in the Fantasy League with a splendid hat-trick against Phil Brown’s tame Tigers, but his eschewed strike-partner grabbed the honour, four goals against Burnley meant plenty of spilt claret for Owen Coyle, as the Fantasy Premier League season took another set of twists and turns.

The Men In Form

Indeed, Torres was not even the second highest points scorer. Darren Bent’s hot-streak at Sunderland continued as he inspired the Black Cats to a 5-2 win over Wolves. Bent won, and converted, the opening goal from the penalty spot before picking up three second half assists to record a massive 18 points haul. His strike partner Kenwyne Jones was equally deadly, two goals for the Trinidad & Tobago hitman keeps him very much on the coat-tails of his team-mate.

Liverpool’s win over Hull may have been a cakewalk, it may have sounded the death knell for Phil Brown, and it may also have given Tigers debutant Liam Cooper nightmares. But it also threw up a few points in midfield for the Reds. Ryan Babel only played 29 minutes at Anfield but notched two goals, and twelve points. Albert Riera played the full 90 and managed ten. It would have been slightly different of course had the Spaniard’s late effort not looped up off Babel and put the embarrassing gloss on the victory.

Wigan may not have been in the best of form as they welcomed Chelsea to the DW Stadium, but in Titus Bramble they have one of the most improved players in the league. His errors may never totally go away, but in terms of performances, he is building a solid reputation. His opening goal, and subsequent domination of Chelsea’s much-vaunted attack, got him 10 points, and make him a useful bet for bargain-basement.

The Men to Avoid

I was tempted to say this at the start of the season, but was worried for my own reputation. Michael Owen may have scored twice off the bench in his opening six appearances for Manchester United, but his old injury concerns were never far away. A groin strain sustained in midweek will now keep him out for three weeks, and it is fair to say that Owen takes a little longer than most to get back to full form. Especially if he is trying to achieve that as a substitute.

Time was, David James was the staple diet of all good Fantasy League sides. Not any more. Pompey may have been unlucky to lose a seventh straight league game at home to Everton, but James was to blame. His cowardly attempt to thwart Louis Saha with a turned-back failed, his clean sheet went up in smoke, and Jamo is the lowest scoring regular goalkeeper in the game. Pompey may improve, but James should be ignored.

Bargain Hunt

Vito Mannone (Arsenal) – Don’t believe the hype, they say. But looking beyond hype, Mannone has had a great start to his Gunners career. A man of the match performance at Fulham last week gave him 8 points, and with neither Manuel Almunia nor Lukasz Fabianski fit, Mannone may have a chance to nail down a regular place in Arsène Wenger’s side. At £4.5m, the young Italian could be the bargain of the month.

John O’Shea (Manchester United) – It is not often that a big four player costs less than £6m, but John O’Shea is seen as a utility man, and so his value is representative. A goal at Stoke last week earned him a place in the Dream Team, and O’Shea has played 90 minutes in six of United’s seven league games this season. £5.4m well spent if you ask me.

Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) – Colombians in the Premier League are a rare occurrence. Tino Asprilla, Juan Pablo Angel, and now Hugo Rodallega. None set the world alight despite obvious talent, but Rodallega is promising to become the focal point of an attractive Wigan side. His goal last week may have been a penalty, but it is doubtful that John Terry and co will have a tougher time all season. Three goals and counting now for the big man, and £6.4m is not a bank-breaking fee.

Fixtures

• Bolton v Tottenham
• Burnley v Birmingham
• Hull v Wigan
• Wolves v Portsmouth
• Man Utd v Sunderland
• Arsenal v Blackburn
• Everton v Stoke
• West Ham v Fulham
• Chelsea v Liverpool
• Aston Villa v Man City

One fixture stands out of course, Chelsea v Liverpool could be a season-definer for both sides. Elsewhere Arsenal should give Blackburn a roughing up at the Emirates, whilst Sunderland’s porous defence travels to Old Trafford. Manchester City’s trip to Villa on Monday night looks a decent game on paper, whilst there is a chance for Pompey to get their season up and running at Wolves.

My Team

I wondered whether the lack of a Torres might have hindered me last week – how wrong I was. Darren Bent, Robin Van Persie & Didier Drogba kept my strikeforce firing, Steven Gerrard’s fluke goal meant my captain contributed 14 points, whilst my other two midfielders – Cesc Fàbregas & Charles N’Zogbia – picked up assists. At the back Michael Turner netted for Sunderland and Emiliano Insúa grabbed an assist to complement debutant Sylvain Distin’s clean sheet.

One small mistake, Tom Huddlestone remained rooted to my subs bench and promptly picked an assist, some bonus points, and 8 in total. Can’t win them all though.

For this week, there is just one change. Micah Richards’ omission for Man City on Monday may well have been down to fitness, but his form is not great. Out he goes, in comes Arsenal’s Alex Song. The thinking? Well Song is a defender on the game, but a midfielder in reality. Arsenal are at home to Blackburn, and Denílson is injured. He will play, he will score points. Simple.

The Football Media league

Tough at the top isn’t it? Jon Egger Hallsson retains top spot despite a problematic week. His lead is down to six points now after a rasper of a week from Paul Worthington and his Chilli Peppers. 98 points for them, thanks largely to captain Torres, and a ludicrously solid all round performance. He swipes second place as a result.

Elsewhere, there were some average weeks at the top of the table, allowing Torres to fire plenty of sides up the ladder. Liosa Casserley and her lads were the standout performers, 102 points in the week launched her into thirteenth spot, alongside you know who!

You can join the Football Media league here.

Seven goals, seven minutes of added time, seven players from the Big Four in the team of the week. Yes, the big boys claimed back their rightful place at the top of the Premier League table last week, the pretenders of Manchester City & Tottenham slotted firmly into their place. Wins for Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool & Arsenal meant it was a good week for the star names, as well as a few lesser ones too.

The Men In Form

When Arsenal splashed out £10m on a Belgian defender who was struggling to reach the 6ft mark, one or two eyebrows were raised. How would Thomas Vermaelen handle the physical element of the Premier League? Would he compete aerially? Is a Belgian ever really any good? The answer – on all three counts it seems – is a resounding “Yes!”. Vermaelen picked up a whopping 19 points at the weekend thanks to his clean sheet, coupled with two lovely goals. It takes him third on the defenders list, with 34 season points, and his value is rocketing skywards. Sign him up if you can.

Ashley Cole doesn’t share the same sort of affinity with Arsenal these days of course, his murky move to Stamford Bridge and the frighteningly egotistical revelations in his autobiography pretty much severed his ties with North London. Not that Chelsea mind of course, Cole is currently in the form of his life across town, his second goal of the season, allied to some clean sheet and bonus points, promotes the England left back to second in the defenders chart with 40 points – reassuringly for Fabio Capello it is the England right back, Glen Johnson, who sits atop that particular table. But then, does Don Fabio play Fantasy Football?

And how about a bit of nostalgia? Every year people take a long hard look at Manchester United’s squad, and come to the same conclusion. “Sooner or later they will have to strengthen that midfield, cos Giggs (and Scholes) can’t go on forever”. Every year they are wrong. Last season’s PFA Player of the Year is in sparkling form right now, adding three quality assists in the Manchester derby on Sunday, and picking up a richly deserved man-of-the-match award. Approaching his 36th birthday, Giggs is still running the show at Old Trafford like a seventeen year old. Long may it continue.

The Men to Avoid

Spare a thought meanwhile, for Giggs’ supposed contemporary, Michael Carrick. The former Spurs and West Ham midfielder was a model of self-improvement during his first couple of seasons at United, but has found himself firmly out of favour this term. A missed penalty at Burnley is his only notable contribution so far in this campaign, unless you count the 30 seconds added on for his late, late substitution on Sunday….

Likewise Emile Heskey. Indispensable for England, indistinguished for Aston Villa. Heskey has played just 116 minutes this season, picking up a paltry 4 points. His value is dropping fast, and with Gabby Agbonlahor and John Carew impressing each week, his chances look like being even more limited as autumn approaches winter.

Staying on the England theme, how about Joleon Lescott? Manchester City may have moved heaven and earth to persuade Lescott to swap royal blue for sky blue, but they don’t appear to have papered over the cracks in his game as effectively. Three more conceded by Lescott’s defence on Sunday means the former Wolves man has just five points to his name this season, from four games. At £7.1m, Lescott looks a bit heavily priced too.

Bargain Hunters

Peter Crouch (Tottenham) – Ok, so he hasn’t featured as much as he would have liked so far this season (that will probably be written on his gravestone come to think of it). But Crouch was in dazzling form netting a hat-trick in the Carling Cup in midweek, and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp knows he can’t rely on his little and littler strike-force of Jermain Defoe & Robbie Keane every week, so expect Crouch to enter the side at some point. Probably this week at home to Burnley actually. At £7.1m, Crouch represents a better bet than most similarly priced forwards – think Jo at Everton, Kenwyne Jones at Sunderland or Benni McCarthy at Blackburn.

Michael Kightly (Wolves) – Not many players in the current Premier League system have experience of playing non-league. Michael Kightly does, having been plucked from Grays Athletic by Wolves boss Mick McCarthy. He repaid him pretty comprehensively too, the nippy wide player was inspirational as Wolves romped to promotion last year, but a metatarsal injury has sidelined him since April. He is back now though, and keen to grasp his chance in the big time. Expect the diminutive Londoner to terrify more than a few defences this season, and expect him to represent excellent value at £5.4m.

James Collins (Aston Villa) – Some people, including me, wondered where this lad got his reputation from at West Ham. I’d never noticed anything special about him, that’s for sure. But Martin O’Neill liked him, and he has slotted in nicely alongside fellow newboy Richard Dunne in the centre of Villa’s defence. No goals conceded in both games since his arrival says it all, and with him costing just £4.6m, Collins could be a sharp piece of business for any manager.

Fixtures

Portsmouth v Everton
Birmingham v Bolton
Blackburn v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Hull City
Stoke City v Man Utd
Tottenham v Burnley
Wigan v Chelsea
Fulham v Arsenal
Sunderland v Wolves
Man City v West Ham

A quick skim of the fixtures shows Liverpool should have a home banker against Hull City, load up on Gerrards and Torreses if you can, and expect clean sheets to finally arrive for Carragher and co. Tottenham too should find Burnley a more welcoming guest than Manchester United were to White Hart Lane, whilst Chelsea should prove too strong for Roberto Martinez’s Wigan Athletic side. Arsenal have a chance to show their mettle with a trip to Fulham, and Manchester United will need to show theirs as they travel to Stoke. Manchester City complete the weekend’s action, with a home clash with West Ham.

My Team

Still going solid, all things told. Cesc Fabregas did his job as skipper with a late goal, whilst all three of my strikers performed well, including a goal for Darren Bent on his first outing for my side. Steven Gerrard picked up an assist, as did Emiliano Insua, whilst my decision to start Joe Hart proved inspired, as he was keeper-of-the-week with 8 points.

Just the one change this week, in comes Sylvain Distin of Everton to strengthen my defence. Kevin Foley’s drop to £3.9m precipitated this move, but Everton are resurgent and Distin will be integral to their improving defence. His fall in value (from £5m at the start) has worked to my advantage.

Football Media League

Jon Eggert Hallson is showing no sign of relenting at the top of Soccerlens’ league, his Handavinna side clung to top spot with a fine week – inspired by Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba & Ashley Cole. Behind him it is the battle of the Corrigans as Colin (Hats Off FC) and Dermot (Nil Satis XI) occupy second and third place, whilst a special mention must go to Greg Stark and his Ipswich Down side, who amassed 88 points thanks in part to having the likes of James Milner, Louis Saha & Gareth Barry amongst the bigger boys.

My side, the Baroque Social rose, salmon-like to 28th spot thanks to a solid week, but sit 56 points off the leaders. Wild card time anyone?

Andy Reid, Jason Roberts, David Dunn. What do they all have in common?

No, it isn’t that at regular intervals, their respective managers have prefixed the mentioning of their names with a string of expletives, bemoaning their inconsistency/fitness/existence. It isn’t even that they have, at some stage of their careers, been signed for a sum that made most people remark “how much?!”

These three, along with fellow lesser lites & fallen giants such as Richard Dunne, Chris Kirkland & Darren Bent, form the basis for this week’s Fantasy Premier League ‘Dream Team’. No star names, no obvious choices, no hyperbole, just solid, workaday performers. And points. Plenty of points.

Yep, Gameweek 5 in the world’s most popular online Fantasy Football game threw up plenty of surprises, and proved once again why it is so hard to achieve that winning formula.

The Men in Form

I was at Anfield on Saturday to witness Yossi Benayoun and his accumulation of a season’s best 24 points. A hat-trick, an assist (although Burnley keeper Brian Jensen should take some of the “credit” here too), three bonus points and a clean sheet took the Israeli into third place in the midfielders’ list – behind the far more celebrated duo of Steven Gerrard & Frank Lampard. Rafael Benítez was quick to praise Benayoun’s “character and mentality”, and a few more weeks like this may lead to his inclusion in more sides across the globe.

Impossible too, to ignore the rise of the much-maligned Darren Bent at Sunderland. Bent, derided last year at Spurs by Harry Redknapp for missing chances “my missus would have buried”, has hit the ground running under the appreciative Steve Bruce on Wearside, and added a further two goals – and ten points – to his season’s tally against a woeful Hull City. It leaves him with 26 points thus far, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Rooney & Fernando Torres, and clear of Nicolas Anelka & Robin Van Persie.

And speaking of men rebuilding their careers after stuttering seasons, how about Shaun Wright-Phillips at Manchester City? The pint-sized winger may well have looked nervously over his shoulder this summer as Mark Hughes added 145 forwards to the City roster, but his performances thus far have indicated that the 26 year-old may well be set to follow Stephen Ireland in establishing himself as a mainstay among the rotating cast of stars. A goal and an assist in the rout of Arsenal on Saturday took him into the top six midfielders list, and with City looking useful so far this season, he may well be a bargain at £8.1 million.

The Men to Avoid

You know you are in trouble when your most expensive defender is £4 million. That is the trouble Phil Brown at Hull City faces. Kamil Zayatte may have (briefly) drawn the Tigers level at Sunderland on Saturday, but he also conceded four goals (one of which he scored himself), and produced one of the most inept displays of defending Alan Hansen has ever seen. And he’s seen a few. Hull may have made a few interesting additions to their forward line-up this season, but defensively they are a shambles. Michael Turner’s departure has left them painfully short of quality at the back, and their defensive players should be avoided at all costs. All costs.

What price a Birmingham goal? Alex McLeish’s men are not a bad side all things considered. Their defence is unspectacular but organised well, Joe Hart is a decent keeper (and cheap at £4m), whilst in midfield the likes of Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson & Sebastian Larsson all represent useful budget signings. But in the final third, they are far from prolific. James McFadden is the only man in the team with a goal to his name – a penalty of course – and the support cast of Garry O’Connor, Cristian “Chucho” Benítez & Kevin Phillips are yet to have so much as a shot on target. Sunday’s derby defeat to Aston Villa highlighted these weaknesses perfectly, Birmingham have their merits, but they are in their own half for the time being.

Bargain Hunters

Jason Koumas (Wigan) – Steven Gerrard once famously dismissed the Welshman as a fair-weather player (“boot Jason early and he fades”), but there is no doubting the former Tranmere & West Brom man’s ability. He crosses well, dribbles well and shoots well. Another assist on Saturday means he is the Latics’ top points scorer (level with Hugo Rodallega), and Roberto Martínez is clearly a fan, giving him a far more consistent run of games than Steve Bruce ever did.

Tamir Cohen (Bolton) – Uncle Avi is revered among Liverpool supporters for his exploits in the early 1980s, but his nephew is starting to make an impact at Bolton. Two goals in two games for the Israeli make him Bolton’s premier midfielder at the moment, and the manner in which he smashed home at Portsmouth at the weekend suggests he might be about to add a few more as the season progresses. At £4.4m, he is bargain basement.

Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal) – Lost in amongst the furore of “Adebayor-gate” at Eastlands on Saturday, was the return of the Czech playmaker, after the best part of two years out through injury. He scored as well. Rosický may take time to find his feet after such a long lay-off, but there are few more creative midfielders in the league, and with his value having skydived to under £7m, the baby-faced former Borussia Dortmund man may well prove a steal as he starts to re-establish himself in Arsène Wenger’s plans.

Fixtures

• Burnley v Sunderland
• Arsenal v Wigan Athletic
• Aston Villa v Portsmouth
• Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City
• Hull City v Birmingham City
• West Ham United v Liverpool
• Manchester United v Manchester City
• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham
• Everton v Blackburn Rovers
• Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

It is a decent weekend of fixtures that awaits Gameweek 6, two big clashes on Sunday mean that the wheat should be separated from the chaff as Tottenham & Manchester City look to keep pace with the big guns. Arsenal will undoubtedly be looking to respond to the bursting of their bubble with a home banker against Wigan, whilst Liverpool face a tricky trip to Upton Park – is it too easy to call this a “must-win”?

Elsewhere Portsmouth will be looking to pick up their first points of the season, but face a tough clash at Aston Villa, Everton will try to add some consistency with a home fixture to Blackburn, Burnley welcome Sunderland to a raucous Turf Moor, and there is a big clash at the KC as Hull & Birmingham meet in a battle of the strugglers.

My Team

Solid week all told. All my scoring was done on Saturday, with Micah Richards & Michael Turner picking up assists rather than clean sheets. Captain Steven Gerrard ensured a solid week with a seven-point performance (doubled to fourteen of course), whilst there were goals for both my forwards – Didier Drogba & Robin Van Persie – and an assist for Cesc Fàbregas (of course). One note worth mentioning was that the much-criticised Lucas Leiva collected five points for his performance against Burnley on Saturday, although no good it did me as he sat nicely on my bench. Doh.

This week, I have a few headaches. Carlos Tévez’s injury and drop in value has seen him jettisoned in favour of the in-form Darren Bent (see above), it gives me an extra £1m to spend, but with injuries to Thomas Sørensen & Kevin Foley to contend with, I may be forced into a second transfer – at a cost of four points. Decisions, decisions eh?

Football Media League

Jon Eggert Hallson retains his spot at the top of the table despite a modest weekend, lit up only by goals for Dirk Kuyt, Wayne Rooney & Didier Drogba, his team Handavinna lead by just a point from fast-rising Hats Off FC & Colin Corrigan, who housed Frank Lampard, Tim Cahill, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney & Darren Bent in a strong week.

Behind them the league is tightly congested with numerous amusing monikers lurking dangerously – kudos must go to Joe Cassidy’s Savage Cabbage in seventh spot – whilst down in 30th position lurks the Baroque Social, and yours truly. Still well placed, still watching intently. Still far from at my best. Scared?

Prizes

So far 521 players have joined the Football Media fantasy football league where we’re giving away prizes every month.

1st Prize

The winner will receive:

• An authentic signed football shirt of their choice from Icons.
• The latest football boot of their choice from SoccerPro.
• A Soccerlens Evolution T-Shirt.

Monthly Prize

At the start of every month Football Media (in association with Subside Sports) will give away a free shirt (up to £39.99 + delivery in value) to one lucky player in the FM fantasy football league. This player will be picked at random and there are 9 shirts to give away in total (Sep 09 to May 10).

“Do you lose points for an own goal????”

That was the question on most people’s lips during the Liverpool v Villa game on Monday night wasn’t it? Or was that just me? Yeah it was probably just me based on the facts that a) I am the only man sad enough to worry about Fantasy Football points when my side is getting pasted at home by a team that had looked past their best a week earlier, and b) the only sap stupid enough to put my trust in a certain Lucas Leiva.

Still, all things told it was another intriguing week for the Football Media Fantasy Premier League extravaganza. An average score of 46 for the 1.88m (and counting) players shows that competition is immense this season, and there were some surprises lurking among the Premier League, and not just those unpleasant ones at Anfield either!

The Men in Form

Stoke City may have suffered a midweek thrashing away to Liverpool (shame upon shame for Tony Pulis’ men!), but they are far from a bad side all things considered. Especially in defence. A goal-less draw with Birmingham at St Andrews at the weekend may have been last on Match of the Day, and greeted with all the enthusiasm of a visit from the mother-in-law on a promise day, but it gave the likes of Thomas Sorensen (7pts), Ryan Shawcross (8pts) & Abdoulaye Faye (9pts) the chance to add to their decent totals for the season with clean sheet/bonus contributions.

Pulis is reportedly set to add either West Ham’s James Collins or Middlesbrough’s Robert Huth to his ranks before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, keep an eye on their prices, they might be bargain material.

And what of little, downtrodden, trouble at t’mill Burnley eh? In it for fun, a little claret and blue, season long jaunt round the best clubs in the land before departing back to the Championship none the wiser? Not a bit of it. Two clean sheets in a row for messrs Jensen, Bikey, Carlisle, Mears, Jordan & Alexander, with goals thrown in neatly for Blake & Elliott.

It might well be as good as it gets at Turf Moor, but with Owen Coyle looking shrewder by the week, and confidence high, you could see the Clarets embark on a Reading/Wigan-esque run this season. Although Saturday’s trip to Chelsea may well soften the more lofty ambitions of some fans.

Speaking of Chelsea, Didier Drogba is in good form isn’t he? A twelve point bonanza at Fulham on Sunday means that he of the “Disgwace” claims sits proudly atop of the strikers chart with 28 points, two clear of the palpably in-form Jermain Defoe. Unlike Defoe however, Drogba is proving adept at providing both assists and goals, three goals and two assist to start the season is never a bad thing, and with his partnership with Nicolas Anelka looking useful, there should be plenty more to come from DD.

And finally, a word for the luckiest darned footballer on the planet. William Gallas. Not only does he get to play in a Gunners side that must be a joy to watch/train with, but he seems to have developed a knack for picking up ridiculous goals too. Three in three for the Frenchman until last night’s game, ranging from the simple- his unchecked dance into the box at Everton- to the ridiculous- a wicked deflection at Celtic and a ball smashed home via his face at the Emirates on Saturday. He might not have a clean sheet to his name this season in the league, but he is the third highest scoring defender in the game. Ooh la la.

The Men to Avoid

No score to settle here, but Everton players. They can’t get a break at the moment can they? If you believe all you read, Joleon Lescott has managed to single handedly un-sew seven years of hard David Moyes graft in one summer. If you look out onto the pitch however, you will see that the likes of Louis Saha, Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill & Joseph Yobo are doing as much, or as little.

Everton’s top points scorer after two games is Steven Pienaar, courtesy of an assist (for the 1 in a 1-6 defeat) against Arsenal. Saha scored from that assist, but undid that with a woeful penalty miss at Burnley last Sunday, and the defence minus Lescott and the injured Phil Jagielka is looking especially porous. Reinforcements should arrive this week, with Russian Diniyar Bilyalatedinov already on board, but all that means is that certain players’ places are up for grabs. Be careful with Everton until they settle down.

Same goes for Portsmouth. Their ownership issue may be resolved now, but the issue of quality (or lack of it) in their squad has most definitely not been. Gone are the likes of Defoe, Crouch, Muntari, Diarra, Johnson. Even Sol Campbell has chosen the leafier climbs of League Two and Notts County’s pots of cash.

It leaves a squad with no standout players, except the over-burdened Niko Kranjčar, and some serious confidence issues. I wouldn’t fancy a Pompey defender’s chances of picking up a clean sheet, whilst the only target Frédéric Piquionne & David Nugent look capable of hitting is the “minutes without scoring” one.

Bargain Hunters

Kamel Ghilas (Hull)- Ok so he has played just three games in this league, and we all know that players can fade after bright starts – see Geovanni for proof – but this young lad looks talented. 25, Algerian, pacy, and with a decent scoring record throughout his career, Ghilas got off the mark for Hull against Bolton on Saturday, and picked up three bonus points too. At £5m he may be a good signing for a third striker.

Wade Elliott (Burnley)- Former Bournemouth players don’t have the most incredible record in the Premier League to be honest. There was Jamie Redknapp I suppose, and his dad, but not a lot else. Wade Elliott might be set to change all that however. Scorer of the £20m goal for Burnley at Wembley last season, Elliott opened his account for the new season with the winner against Everton on Sunday, and is impressing with his tidy play and creative eye. Might be the Clarets’ finest vintage this season. Ouch.

Damien Duff (Fulham)- Inauspicious start against his old club Chelsea on Sunday, but that can be forgiven. In his one appearance for Newcastle this season Duff wore the look of a man eager to make up for lost time with some proper performances. He is 30 now, and very much in a last chance saloon as far as the Premier League is concerned. Fulham play some attractive stuff, so the Irishman may well benefit from that and begin to roll back the years.

Fixtures

• Chelsea v Burnley
• Blackburn v West Ham
• Bolton v Liverpool
• Stoke City v Sunderland
• Tottenham v Birmingham
• Wolves v Hull City
• Man Utd v Arsenal
• Portsmouth v Man City
• Everton v Wigan
• Aston Villa v Fulham

Paper says that Chelsea players should be high on your list this week, with a home banker against Burnley. But then paper also said the same when Manchester United travelled to Turf Moor last week. United v Arsenal is the first heavyweight clash of the season, with Arsenal looking to maintain a 100% record.

Everton & Liverpool will be looking to find a foothold in this season with Lancashire derbies, Liverpool’s looks tougher on paper though Wigan were impressive away from home at Villa, Tottenham will not get a better chance of picking up four straight wins than a home game with Birmingham, whilst Gold battles Amber at Molineux in what could be a six-pointer, and crisis club Pompey host cash-laden Manchester City in an interesting match at Fratton Park.

My Team

Well even the greats are fallible. My decision to remove Wayne Rooney did prove silly. Especially given that his replacement captain, Cesc Fàbregas, picked up an injury and is now a doubt for Saturday. It could have been worse for me had Rooney’s direct replacement, Robin Van Persie, not contributed seven points with an assist and some bonus gear.

Drogba kept me bubbling nicely with twelve- he will be skipper this week- whilst at the back Joe Hart, Richard Dunne, Ryan Shawcross & Michael Turner all picked up clean sheets (although Turner’s earnt me nothing as he was benched), whilst Emiliano Insúa grabbed an assist, as did Carlos Tévez on his first start for City. There were more let downs from Charles N’Zogbia & Lucas, whilst my bench of Michael Brown and Kevin Foley looks as enticing as a week-old pizza currently, but all in all a healthy 57 points kept me ticking over nicely.

No transfer made for this week as such, I have £1m in the bank to play with, but with Fàbregas dubious, Foley crocked, Dunne set to be transferred to Villa, and doubts lingering over Lucas, N’Zogbia & Insúa, my team may need a bit of work on it.

Football Media League

And as for the big prize, well last week’s leader Matt Cornford may have changed his team name after an ear-bashing from Mark Hughes (Manchester City = Small Club have now become Corny Wins… Again!), but his side were knocked off their perch by Ciaran Doherty’s “LK United” and their blistering, Wayne Rooney-inspired, 74 point Gameweek. It gives them a slender margin at the top over Corny and his boys, with Vic Oh in third a further five points back with his side “vicstasteamsgonacane” and its enticing Rooney/Drogba partnership.

Myself, I am keeping a watching brief down in seventh, eighteen points off the lead. Big Gameweek for me this, if I am still in it after this I would say I will win. If not, then I would still say I will! Of course I am joking but it is a fascinating start, and one that looks set to continue this week, when all eyes will be on premierleague.com as much as Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge I’m sure.

Prizes

So far 521 players have joined the Football Media fantasy football league where we’re giving away prizes every month.

1st Prize

The winner will receive:

• An authentic signed football shirt of their choice from Icons.
• The latest football boot of their choice from SoccerPro.
• A Soccerlens Evolution T-Shirt.

Monthly Prize

At the start of every month Football Media (in association with Subside Sports) will give away a free shirt (up to £39.99 + delivery in value) to one lucky player in the FM fantasy football league. This player will be picked at random and there are 9 shirts to give away in total (Sep 09 to May 10).

As it came, so it went. The opening week of action in the 09/10 Barclays Premier League is already down the road, the seemingly endless wait for a glimpse of England’s top stars made this season as eagerly anticipated as….well….last season’s, and 1.77m people so far have seen fit to take the life-changing plunge into the Premier League’s fantasy football game.

I say life-changing, because it is true. Honest. My own week has been spent cringing at Kevin Foley’s medial knee ligament injury, fretting over whether Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney deserved the captain’s armband, and worshipping at the feet of Cesc Fàbregas. And my next week will be something similar I’m sure.

The men in form

It is arguably the hardest day of the season to predict a team for, the opening day. Most sides are loaded with new signings, new managers and new ideas, which makes second guessing a starting line-up difficult. As I found to my cost when Carlos Tévez was left out of Manchester City’s team to face Blackburn at Ewood Park- although a heel injury was more the reason in that case.

There are some who can be relied upon though, Fàbregas seemed to slip under the radar of the lads I know, but his propensity for performances such as the one he submitted at Everton last week made him a shoe-in for my team. Two goals, two assists, three bonus points and even a clean sheet (removed as he was in the 74th minute) earned the Spanish genius a whopping 22 points. Enough to ensure that, even without a midweek fixture, he remains top of the scoring charts.

Well, level with Glen Johnson that is. Liverpool’s £18m full back was one of the few players to emerge with any credit- or points- from the Reds’ insipid 2-1 defeat to Spurs on Sunday, and he picked up a superb 18 points last night as his side bounced back in style with a 4-0 win over Tony Pulis’ Stoke City. A goal, an assist, a clean sheet and man of the match. His Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, also chipped in, eleven points for Stevie G puts him second behind Cesc in the midfield charts, with 18.

Another England star on form is undoubtedly Jermain Defoe. Bursting into life after a quiet start in that Liverpool win, the Spurs striker rifled home a brilliant hat-trick to help put Hull City to the sword in a 5-1 win at the KC Stadium. 19 points from 2 games is good going, and his two goals for England make Defoe the in-form striker of the game.

As for the men at the back, well Burnley’s win over Manchester United grabbed enormous headlines today, and there was no doubt who the hero of that particular hour was- Clarets keeper Brian Jensen. A penalty save from Michael Carrick, an against-all-odds clean sheet and a man-of-the-match display gave the Big Dane 14 points, and makes him the league’s top scoring keeper/defender, level on points with Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross, whose opening day goal and clean sheet allows him to stay at the top despite last night’s mauling at Anfield.

The ones to avoid

Defensive midfielders. Stop it. Please. I’m not saying they are bad players, I’m really not. But for Fantasy purposes, just steer clear. Javier Mascherano, Nigel de Jong, Scott Parker & Jon Obi Mikel just aren’t cut out for points scoring. They usually retail around the £5m mark, for which price you can obtain a much more threatening player- think Stephen Hunt, Kieron Dyer, Luis Jimenez.

This may sound a bit strange, but Manchester United midfielders. You simply can’t rely on them to start, or to score points. Two games in, and their top scoring midfielder has four points. One could argue that Carrick, last night’s spot kick aberration aside, is a constant, but still the likes of Valencia, Park, Giggs, Anderson & Scholes are set for a rotational season, and therefore represent a risk at best.

Hull defenders. Right, I have Michael Turner and he is a good player, but seven goals shipped in two games make Hull stoppers the men to avoid here. Turner may well move on before the end of the transfer window, and if he does he may represent a sneaky bargain at £4.5m, but until he does he and his Tigers colleagues should be ignored.

The bargains

Hard to choose, hard to find, but the most rewarding of all I feel. Here are one or two bargains you might like to have a look at:

Stephen Hunt (Hull) £5m- Like him or not, Hunt is an all action wide midfielder with an eye for goal. He is also hugely dependable in terms of injuries and consistency. He will play, he will assist, he will score. Two in two already, at £5m the wild haired one represents a fine acquisition, both by Phil Brown and you.

Andrew Keogh (Wolves) £4.5m- Andrew Keogh is talented, make no mistake. When all eyes were on Billy Sharp’s goals at Scunthorpe a couple of years back, the connoisseurs were more impressed by Keogh’s all round class. The players’ respective career trajectories would tend to agree. With Sylvan Ebanks-Blake & Kevin Doyle short of fitness, Keogh has a chance to nail down a starting spot, and his winner at Wigan in midweek may well be the first step.

Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland) £4.5m- You ready for this? Steve Bruce. Is. A. Good. Manager. He organises teams well, he has faith in players, and his sides generally do pretty well. Sunderland should be no different. Ferdinand hasn’t had a great time on the North East, but with Bruce’s backing and Sunderland’s improving side, he should pick up plenty of points this term.

Alex Song (Arsenal) £5.5m- Bucking the trend of defensive midfielders, but that is because Alex Song is listed as a defender on the game. Therefore, he picks up clean sheets that his contemporary midfielders do not, and Arsenal’s fluid passing means he is likely to chip in the odd assist and even goal too. An improving player, and a good signing.

Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal) £6.5m- Another Arsenal player granted, but Bendtner is enjoying an extended first team run in the absence of Nasri, Rosický, Walcott et al. Might not be the deadliest finisher, but creates chances, and can score goals. A new role on the right of Arsenal’s attack may be the making of him.

Upcoming Fixtures

• Arsenal v Portsmouth
• Birmingham v Stoke City
• Hull City v Bolton
• Man City v Wolves
• Sunderland v Blackburn
• Wigan v Man Utd
• West Ham v Tottenham
• Burnley v Everton
• Fulham v Chelsea
• Liverpool v Aston Villa

Home games for Arsenal, Manchester City & Liverpool may prove points havens, Manchester United face another tough Lancashire away-day, whilst Chelsea have a local derby of their own against impressive Fulham. Sunderland at home to Blackburn may well be a good home banker, especially with Darren Bent in such fine form, whilst Burnley will be on a high after their win over United, and a game against an Everton side in disarray may just be the perfect one for Owen Coyle and his men.

My team’s performance

Last week’s column saw me put my (admittedly risky) team on the line, as well as my reputation. After all, the guy giving out the tips and advice needs to know what he’s talking about, right? Well even if I say so myself, I think its been a pretty good week for me and my Baroque Social side. 122 points leaves me pretty well placed in all competitions.

Fàbregas helped of course, 22 points on his own (if only I’d had him as captain). Two goals for Drogba, one for Rooney, one for Shawcross, one for Lampard mean my team is in decent form in front of goal. Assists thrown in for N’Zogbia & Drogba, and some neat clean sheets for both my keepers, Richard Dunne, Insúa & Shawcross mean I have been in solid points scoring form.

A poorish second week where Rooney as captain let me down, and Lampard as non-captain did not; notwithstanding, I am pleased with my start. I sit eighth in the Football Media league, well placed indeed. Credit must go to the leader, Matt Cornford and his provocatively named side “Man City = Small Club”, who lead the way with 135 points, from Thomas Cook and his “Flatulence” and this week’s star performer Rob Blanchette and his “Queens Park Badgers”, who scored an incredible 92 points (Defoe, Johnson, Gerrard, Kuyt, Lampard basically) to rocket into third place. But Baroque Social are lurking, and you would be wise to be wary!

This week’s transfer by myself is a risky one, Wayne Rooney out, Robin Van Persie in. The thinking is simple, Arsenal are at home to Portsmouth, and playing some lovely stuff. Van Persie should help himself. In theory at least. It also leaves me with a million in the bank to play with, which could be dangerous.

Prizes

So far 488 players have joined the Football Media fantasy football league where we’re giving away prizes every month.

1st Prize

The winner will receive:

• An authentic signed football shirt of their choice from Icons.
• The latest football boot of their choice from SoccerPro.
• A Soccerlens Evolution T-Shirt.

Monthly Prize

At the start of every month Football Media (in association with Subside Sports) will give away a free shirt (up to £39.99 + delivery in value) to one lucky player in the FM fantasy football league. This player will be picked at random and there are 9 shirts to give away in total (Sep 09 to May 10).