Tuesday, April 30, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI RESULT | REAL MADRID 2 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0 ( 3 - 4 BORUSSIA ON AGGREGATE )
The longed for "miracle" almost occurred, Real Madrid won 2 - 0 Borussia Dortmund in an epic game of European Football that in the end resulted in the elimination of Real Madrid due to the final 3 - 4 aggregate score after the two semi-final matches that has favoured Borussia Dortmund.The effort from Real Madrid was titanic, but the real damage was all done in the 1ºst leg where the 4 goals from
Gameweek 36 Preview
We've already talked in some detail about specfic players to target this week, with the below data supplementing that analysis:
Clean Sheet Forecast Data
Attacking Forecast Data
Individual Forecast Data
Clean Sheet Forecast Data
Individual Forecast Data
Monday, April 29, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL | POSSIBLE REAL MADRID STARTING 11 LINE-UP AGAINST BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Everything is in place. Real Madrid will host tomorrow night German Club Borussia Dortmund in the 2º leg semi-final UEFA Champions League game with a 1 - 4 disadvantage. The objective for Real Madrid is very clear, if they can defeat Borussia Dortmund 3 - 0 tomorrow night they will be through into the Final, the problem is that Borussia also wishes to win & score a goal & this last element will
DE GEA - MATA INCLUDED IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER IDEAL 11
The "PFA" - Professional Football Association - of the English Premier League has voted their "Ideal 11" for season 2012- 2013. The distinction is great in that the voting comes from your peers in the "Best 11 of the English Premier League".
The player most valued by his peers is Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspurs. This player as we all know is a Real Madrid CF target for next season.
The
The player most valued by his peers is Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspurs. This player as we all know is a Real Madrid CF target for next season.
The
Sunday, April 28, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 33 GAMES RESULTS
Been out of town this weekend which has limited my time in viewing most of the Liga Round 33 games. However, not wishing to halt the habitual post with all the Spanish Soccer - Football final results & all goal scorers, I´II give below a brief summary that I hope will serve.
Real Zaragoza 3 ( Montañes, Postiga, Rochina ) - Real Mallorca 2 ( Hemed, Arizmendi )
At.Madrid 1 ( Falcao ) - Real Madrid
Real Zaragoza 3 ( Montañes, Postiga, Rochina ) - Real Mallorca 2 ( Hemed, Arizmendi )
At.Madrid 1 ( Falcao ) - Real Madrid
Friday, April 26, 2013
ATLETICO DE MADRID | HAPPY 110 YEARS BIRTHDAY
On a day like today, the 26th of April, 110 years ago the Spanish Football Club Atletico de Madrid began its long Sporting life till today. Original from Basque students living in Madrid - thus the similarity & closeness to Athletic Club Bilbao - in 1904 they were joined by dissidents of Real Madrid to set the foundations of the Madrid Club.So today its HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 110 years old.
Since
Since
Thursday, April 25, 2013
FC BARCELONA | THE 10 SIGNALS OF COLLAPSE
Spanish Football journalist “Sergi Font” has written an article for Spanish Sports daily “Marca” where he gives his 10 reasons for the FC Barcelona fall from grace, or "collapse".
The 4-0 away hammering by Bayern Munich last Tuesday in the Champions League semi-final has opened locally a barrage of criticisms from many Football observers, opening debate externally & internally also at Barça.
The 4-0 away hammering by Bayern Munich last Tuesday in the Champions League semi-final has opened locally a barrage of criticisms from many Football observers, opening debate externally & internally also at Barça.
REAL MADRID THINKING ABOUT PSG MIDFIELDER VARRATTI ?
German paper "Bild" puts Real Madrid Coach José Mourinho back at Chelsea FC next season along with most English papers & Spanish Football observers. While this "rumour" persists there is also speculation that Real Madrid has tied up their chosen replacement Coach in case Mourinho does finally announce that he will leave: Italian Carlo Ancelotti.
Apparently the Italian & possible new Coach of
Apparently the Italian & possible new Coach of
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | REAL MADRID CONJURES "PAST SPIRITS" & "FOOTBALL MYSTICISM" TO DEFEAT DORTMUND
The aftermath reaction to yesterdays painful 4 - 1 defeat by Real Madrid at the hands of German Club Borussia Dortmund is to conjure up "spirits" of past glorious comebacks at the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium". The message from Real Madrid Coach Jose Mourinho is that "we must die on the field, nothing is impossible". Sounds like something General Custer said before being slaughter by the Indians on
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Gameweek 36 double gameweek advanced preview
It's been increasingly hard to differentiate our teams of late, and those who tried to do just that without van Persie these past couple of weeks were burned with a couple of 16+ point performances. All is not lost though, and the fixture Gods have dished out one last chance to gain some ground on your opponents, or, one last offensive to repel, depending on your position within your respective mini-leagues.
That position is going to dictate your strategy and so we need to dig a bit deeper than simply trying to maximize the points in the '36' column on the forecast charts (if indeed you believe any of the forecast on this lowly blog). First then, let's look at the main options, their forecast points and ownership numbers:
The first obvious point is that not all double gameweeks are created equal and some caution should be exercised about piling on players from Chelsea, and to an extent Swansea, given the relative strength of their opponents in gameweek 36. Mata and Hazard owners will obviously be pleased with the extra fixture and thus you would certainly lean towards keeping that pair over someone like Cazorla or Gerrard, but with one fixture coming at Old Trafford and the other seeing Tottenham come to Stamford Bridge, the ceiling (if not the floor) of the Chelsea players is somewhat limited.
The second general point to note is that a large number of the best options for the double gameweek are already owned by 15%+ managers. Again then, choosing your options is going to depend on whether you need to gain/defend ground, so for each team we're going to highlight picks for each instance.
Finally, I am putting defensive options to one side here, as the strategy there is much simpler (chase the lower expected goals conceded numbers and do with the cheapest defensive option available in each respective team).
The Elite
Chelsea - @MUN, TOT
With three genuinely elite and widely held options in Ba, Mata and Hazard, Chelsea will play a big role in GW36's double gameweeks, though the strength of those fixtures really leads me to push them down the list of desired targets. If you already own them, it's almost certainly worth holding on, but otherwise it looks like a move which carries a higher floor than normal, but a ceiling which doesn't particularly inspire.
If you're leading your league: If your key opponent holds one or more of this trio you might want to consider bringing them in, just to hedge against the possibility that both these fixtures turn into high scoring affairs (that could certainly happen at Old Trafford if United decide to play a very expansive game now the title is wrapped up). If that's the case, I would target Mata if you just want Chelsea cover, or whichever player your opponent holds if you're really trying to just hold on.
If you're chasing the pack: It's likely that your opponents own at least one of these players and this isn't where I would be targeting my transfers. Of course, if your opponents are stocked with City and Spurs players with no Chelsea coverage then the likes of Mata or Hazard make sense, but all else being equal I'd look to players with more upside than this group
Man City - @SWA, WBA
We have five potentially viable options here who are held by 5% of less of all managers, yet with City's form and Mancini's penchant for wholesale changes, I'm not sure I even feel confident picking who might play 120+ minutes, never mind who will enjoy predictable success.
If you're leading your league: There is less incentive to push the issue here so while you'll definitely want to look at Tevez - who probably grades out as the best safety/upside forward for the remainder of the season - there's probably little reason to get involved with the Aguero/Dzeko/Silva group, who all have the potential to succeed but are far from guaranteed playing time (in Silva's case more related to injury than rotation).
If you're chasing the pack: If you need to gain ground then one can make a pretty strong argument that you need to heavily invest in this City team. Unless your opponent is asleep at the wheel, they'll almost certainly have a couple of players from the Mata/Hazard/Bale/Tevez/Michu group so if you want to gain serious ground you'll need to either hit the jackpot with non-double gameweek picks, or roll the dice with a couple of the riskier double gameweekers. Tevez is the obvious pick, though too comes with significant ownership numbers, so that really just leaves Aguero and Silva (if you're going to take a flyer on City players, looking at mid level options like Milner or Yaya doesn't seem like the best way to use your transfers). There hasn't been much indication to date that they'll be ready for the West Ham game, so despite that appetizing fixture, you might be best served holding off this week then bringing that pair in for one last roll of the dice if they're cleared to play in GW36.
Tottenham - SOU, @CHE
Given the strength of that second fixture, I wouldn't try and press the issue here and would offer the same advice for everyone, whether leading or chasing the pack: buy Bale. He was a good buy option this week despite the slight injury risk, but having come through the City game unscathed, he now reclaims his spot as the best projected midfield option for the remainder of the year, and arguably the best combo of floor/ceiling among all players. Such is the strength of his forecast points, he looks like a good option to take a four point hit four, other than for Mata and Hazard whose own double gameweeks should keep things close.
With the uncertainty of everyone else's playing time, I believe there are better ways to use your remaining transfers than to chase anyone else from this team.
The Others
Swansea - MCI, @WIG
If Tottenham's team can be boiled down to one player than I don't know to communicate the gulf in class between Michu and the next player in this Swansea side. They could end the season with five midfielders with over 100 points, yet none of them outside Michu have really offered anything approaching consistent returns despite flashing promise at various times this year.
If you're leading your league:Bringing in Michu is probably a good defensive move given his huge ownership numbers, though I suspect that a portion of those owners will be teams who aren't currently active, as many of the 'busier' managers have moved the Spaniard on after a much quieter second half at the Liberty Stadium. While many are down on City, their defense is still pretty useful and they've only conceded more than once just eight times this year, with two of those coming back in August. The Wigan fixture looks more promising but then Swansea have been fairly miserable away from home of late and thus I wouldn't be expecting fireworks there either.
If you're chasing the pack: There's a chance that your opponents won't hold Michu of course, but it's likely that at least some of them do and that makes him a lot less attractive if you need to make a move. All things considered, you would obviously pick him over most (or all) players without a double gameweek, but I'd suggest the data shows he is one player you don't need to target and thus your precious transfers might be better used elsewhere if looking to differentiate.
As a defensive blocking option Michu makes a lot of sense, but be sure to understand the kind of (limited) ceiling you're buying into before paying a premium.
West Brom - WIG, @MCI
Along with Silva (if fit), Lukaku offers the best combination of points upside, job security and low ownership percentage, and thus should certainly be considered as a transfer target for GW36. For those needing replacements for Suarez or Giroud, or looking for greater upside than the likes of Benteke or Berbatov, you could do a lot worse than targeting Lukaku, starting this week with his trip to Southampton.
If you're leading your league: Lukaku does carry some risk as he does occasionally start on the bench, and with West Brom safe, there is at least some incentive to play Long as Lukaku looks set to return to Chelsea in the summer. With the low ownership numbers seen across this team, this might be one side to ignore if the onus is on your opponent to make ground on you.
If you're chasing the pack: Lukaku looks like a good player to back to differentiate your team, even if we're not crazy about the underlying data observed in his dashboard. It's a bit disconcerting that he hasn't yet netted against of the league's best teams so that trip to City starts to look like a two-pointer but you'd really fancy him at home to Wigan and the potential penalty duties do give him the chance to contribute against anyone. Despite that home game with Wigan, there really isn't too much to get excited about elsewhere in this team, so while you'd obviously play Morrison if you own him, I wouldn't be rushing out to bring him in given the other available options.
Wigan - @WBA, SWA
Wigan are possibly the hardest team to deal with for the double gameweek as they get some fairly favourable fixtures and have players able to take advantage, yet haven't really been able to play with any consistency so far this year. One plus is that the fixtures surrounding the double are also fairly useful with two home games (TOT and AVL) and then a tough trip to Arsenal.
If you're leading your league: As with the other non-elite teams, it's likely that the best pure-points-maximization strategies lie away from Wigan and you're almost certainly better served simply plugging Tevez in for Suarez or Bale for Cazorla, or whichever transfer blocks your opponents teams the best. While I'm a big fan of Maloney and Kone, there's a reason they're are owned by 5% or less managers and that lack of consistency makes them a risk you don't need to take if you're in a position of power.
If you're chasing the pack:If you need to take a risk then Kone, and to a lesser extent Maloney look like great options to try. Kone grades out slightly below Lukaku in terms of the model, but if you were going to give a range of outcomes, the mode might be higher for the Wigan man given the easier fixtures and the higher chance that Lukaku is benched or simply shut out against City. As for Maloney, he is sensational value at 5.1m, but the sticking point is that transfers are limited and his lower ceiling makes it harder to justify using a four-pointer on. If however things are desperate and you absolutely need to roll the dice, he looks like by far the best budget midfield play for the doubles.
That position is going to dictate your strategy and so we need to dig a bit deeper than simply trying to maximize the points in the '36' column on the forecast charts (if indeed you believe any of the forecast on this lowly blog). First then, let's look at the main options, their forecast points and ownership numbers:
The first obvious point is that not all double gameweeks are created equal and some caution should be exercised about piling on players from Chelsea, and to an extent Swansea, given the relative strength of their opponents in gameweek 36. Mata and Hazard owners will obviously be pleased with the extra fixture and thus you would certainly lean towards keeping that pair over someone like Cazorla or Gerrard, but with one fixture coming at Old Trafford and the other seeing Tottenham come to Stamford Bridge, the ceiling (if not the floor) of the Chelsea players is somewhat limited.
The second general point to note is that a large number of the best options for the double gameweek are already owned by 15%+ managers. Again then, choosing your options is going to depend on whether you need to gain/defend ground, so for each team we're going to highlight picks for each instance.
Finally, I am putting defensive options to one side here, as the strategy there is much simpler (chase the lower expected goals conceded numbers and do with the cheapest defensive option available in each respective team).
The Elite
Chelsea - @MUN, TOT
With three genuinely elite and widely held options in Ba, Mata and Hazard, Chelsea will play a big role in GW36's double gameweeks, though the strength of those fixtures really leads me to push them down the list of desired targets. If you already own them, it's almost certainly worth holding on, but otherwise it looks like a move which carries a higher floor than normal, but a ceiling which doesn't particularly inspire.
If you're leading your league: If your key opponent holds one or more of this trio you might want to consider bringing them in, just to hedge against the possibility that both these fixtures turn into high scoring affairs (that could certainly happen at Old Trafford if United decide to play a very expansive game now the title is wrapped up). If that's the case, I would target Mata if you just want Chelsea cover, or whichever player your opponent holds if you're really trying to just hold on.
If you're chasing the pack: It's likely that your opponents own at least one of these players and this isn't where I would be targeting my transfers. Of course, if your opponents are stocked with City and Spurs players with no Chelsea coverage then the likes of Mata or Hazard make sense, but all else being equal I'd look to players with more upside than this group
Man City - @SWA, WBA
We have five potentially viable options here who are held by 5% of less of all managers, yet with City's form and Mancini's penchant for wholesale changes, I'm not sure I even feel confident picking who might play 120+ minutes, never mind who will enjoy predictable success.
If you're leading your league: There is less incentive to push the issue here so while you'll definitely want to look at Tevez - who probably grades out as the best safety/upside forward for the remainder of the season - there's probably little reason to get involved with the Aguero/Dzeko/Silva group, who all have the potential to succeed but are far from guaranteed playing time (in Silva's case more related to injury than rotation).
If you're chasing the pack: If you need to gain ground then one can make a pretty strong argument that you need to heavily invest in this City team. Unless your opponent is asleep at the wheel, they'll almost certainly have a couple of players from the Mata/Hazard/Bale/Tevez/Michu group so if you want to gain serious ground you'll need to either hit the jackpot with non-double gameweek picks, or roll the dice with a couple of the riskier double gameweekers. Tevez is the obvious pick, though too comes with significant ownership numbers, so that really just leaves Aguero and Silva (if you're going to take a flyer on City players, looking at mid level options like Milner or Yaya doesn't seem like the best way to use your transfers). There hasn't been much indication to date that they'll be ready for the West Ham game, so despite that appetizing fixture, you might be best served holding off this week then bringing that pair in for one last roll of the dice if they're cleared to play in GW36.
Tottenham - SOU, @CHE
Given the strength of that second fixture, I wouldn't try and press the issue here and would offer the same advice for everyone, whether leading or chasing the pack: buy Bale. He was a good buy option this week despite the slight injury risk, but having come through the City game unscathed, he now reclaims his spot as the best projected midfield option for the remainder of the year, and arguably the best combo of floor/ceiling among all players. Such is the strength of his forecast points, he looks like a good option to take a four point hit four, other than for Mata and Hazard whose own double gameweeks should keep things close.
With the uncertainty of everyone else's playing time, I believe there are better ways to use your remaining transfers than to chase anyone else from this team.
The Others
Swansea - MCI, @WIG
If Tottenham's team can be boiled down to one player than I don't know to communicate the gulf in class between Michu and the next player in this Swansea side. They could end the season with five midfielders with over 100 points, yet none of them outside Michu have really offered anything approaching consistent returns despite flashing promise at various times this year.
If you're leading your league:Bringing in Michu is probably a good defensive move given his huge ownership numbers, though I suspect that a portion of those owners will be teams who aren't currently active, as many of the 'busier' managers have moved the Spaniard on after a much quieter second half at the Liberty Stadium. While many are down on City, their defense is still pretty useful and they've only conceded more than once just eight times this year, with two of those coming back in August. The Wigan fixture looks more promising but then Swansea have been fairly miserable away from home of late and thus I wouldn't be expecting fireworks there either.
If you're chasing the pack: There's a chance that your opponents won't hold Michu of course, but it's likely that at least some of them do and that makes him a lot less attractive if you need to make a move. All things considered, you would obviously pick him over most (or all) players without a double gameweek, but I'd suggest the data shows he is one player you don't need to target and thus your precious transfers might be better used elsewhere if looking to differentiate.
As a defensive blocking option Michu makes a lot of sense, but be sure to understand the kind of (limited) ceiling you're buying into before paying a premium.
West Brom - WIG, @MCI
Along with Silva (if fit), Lukaku offers the best combination of points upside, job security and low ownership percentage, and thus should certainly be considered as a transfer target for GW36. For those needing replacements for Suarez or Giroud, or looking for greater upside than the likes of Benteke or Berbatov, you could do a lot worse than targeting Lukaku, starting this week with his trip to Southampton.
If you're leading your league: Lukaku does carry some risk as he does occasionally start on the bench, and with West Brom safe, there is at least some incentive to play Long as Lukaku looks set to return to Chelsea in the summer. With the low ownership numbers seen across this team, this might be one side to ignore if the onus is on your opponent to make ground on you.
If you're chasing the pack: Lukaku looks like a good player to back to differentiate your team, even if we're not crazy about the underlying data observed in his dashboard. It's a bit disconcerting that he hasn't yet netted against of the league's best teams so that trip to City starts to look like a two-pointer but you'd really fancy him at home to Wigan and the potential penalty duties do give him the chance to contribute against anyone. Despite that home game with Wigan, there really isn't too much to get excited about elsewhere in this team, so while you'd obviously play Morrison if you own him, I wouldn't be rushing out to bring him in given the other available options.
Wigan - @WBA, SWA
Wigan are possibly the hardest team to deal with for the double gameweek as they get some fairly favourable fixtures and have players able to take advantage, yet haven't really been able to play with any consistency so far this year. One plus is that the fixtures surrounding the double are also fairly useful with two home games (TOT and AVL) and then a tough trip to Arsenal.
If you're leading your league: As with the other non-elite teams, it's likely that the best pure-points-maximization strategies lie away from Wigan and you're almost certainly better served simply plugging Tevez in for Suarez or Bale for Cazorla, or whichever transfer blocks your opponents teams the best. While I'm a big fan of Maloney and Kone, there's a reason they're are owned by 5% or less managers and that lack of consistency makes them a risk you don't need to take if you're in a position of power.
If you're chasing the pack:If you need to take a risk then Kone, and to a lesser extent Maloney look like great options to try. Kone grades out slightly below Lukaku in terms of the model, but if you were going to give a range of outcomes, the mode might be higher for the Wigan man given the easier fixtures and the higher chance that Lukaku is benched or simply shut out against City. As for Maloney, he is sensational value at 5.1m, but the sticking point is that transfers are limited and his lower ceiling makes it harder to justify using a four-pointer on. If however things are desperate and you absolutely need to roll the dice, he looks like by far the best budget midfield play for the doubles.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI FINAL | BORUSSIA DORTMUND 4 REAL MADRID 1
The second semi-final of the UEFA Champions League was another German "white-wash" over another Spanish Football Team. In the 1º st leg match between Borussia Dortmund & Real Madrid the home side won 4 - 1 & that puts them with a foot, a leg & half a body into the Final at Wembley Stadium ( London ).It was the night of Dortmund Polish forward Lewandowski scored all four goals for his team. The
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI | REAL MADRID STARTING 11 LINE-UP AGAINST BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Second semi-final tonight of the UEFA Champions League with the 1 ºst leg match between Borussia Dortmund & Real Madrid. From the Spanish Football perspective "warning lights" after the 4-0 drubbing yesterday by Bayern Munich over FC Barcelona.This stage of Champions League has the best teams in Europe & clear favourites just don´t exist. For the first time in a long while Real Madrid Coach Jose
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 1º SEMI FINAL | BAYERN MUNICH 4 FC BARCELONA 0
First semi-final of the UEFA Champions League with the 1º st leg match between Bayern Munich & FC Barcelona. The final result a 4 - 0 drubbing by the Germans that virtually gives them a place in the final, barring a "miracle" from FC Barcelona in the return leg. A scenario very unlikely after what was witnessed tonight in the Allianz Arena.
A match that Barcelona will claim has been harsh on
A match that Barcelona will claim has been harsh on
AT MADRID TO OFFER 28M€ FOR UDINESE FORWARD LUIS MURIEL ?
News out of Italy, concretely the paper "La Gazetta dello Sport", comments that Spanish Soccer Club Atletico de Madrid has found a substitute player for current striker Radamel Falcao. The story picked up locally by Spanish Sports daily "AS", mentions Colombian & Udinese forward Luis Muriel is the chosen player as Atletico takes it as a given that Falcao will leave at the end of the season.
Monday, April 22, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 32 MONDAY NIGHT RESULT
Spanish Soccer - Football tonight with the last game of Round 32 of Liga. A match between two Clubs at the bottom of the ladder & in the relegation zone. Desperate Football from two desperate Clubs fighting for their Liga future, & that is how the clash was & ended. A spectacular last minute goal for Celta de Vigo by Bermejo in the 93rd min grabbed the victory & the three much needed points from
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL | POSSIBLE STARTING 11 LINE-UPS | BAYERN MUNICH - FC BARCELONA
UEFA Champions League enters the semi-finals stage with 1º leg matches schedule tomorrow & Wednesday night. Serious & do or die Football with the first semi down between European giants Bayern Munich & FC Barcelona. The following day we have another high voltage match between Borussia Dortmund & Real Madrid, but for this post & today we will look at the Bayern-Barça encounter.
FC Barcelona come
FC Barcelona come
Sunday, April 21, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | SUNDAY ROUND 32 MATCH RESULTS
Spanish Soccer - Football action this Sunday with four matches of Round 32 of Liga played. Here are the final scores ( results ) & all the goalscorers.
Madrid Club Getafe hosted RCD Espanyol & lost 0 - 2. Goals from Verdu in the 37th min & Stuani in the 74th min.
Deportivo A Coruña drew 1 - 1 with Athletic Club Bilbao in a game that did not serve the objectives of both Clubs. The shared
Madrid Club Getafe hosted RCD Espanyol & lost 0 - 2. Goals from Verdu in the 37th min & Stuani in the 74th min.
Deportivo A Coruña drew 1 - 1 with Athletic Club Bilbao in a game that did not serve the objectives of both Clubs. The shared
SPANISH SPORTS | SPANISH RIDER MARQUEZ WINS - MAKES MOTO GP HISTORY
Spanish Sports has another promise that has made Sporting History. Spaniard Marc Marquez has become the youngest rider ever to win a race in the GP category. The 20 year old takes the "historical record" off Freddie Spencer of 21 years of age when he won back in 1983.
The Moto 2 World Champion lifted category this season & has rapidly began the season as the "sensation" after only two races.
The Moto 2 World Champion lifted category this season & has rapidly began the season as the "sensation" after only two races.
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | SATURDAY ROUND 32 MATCH RESULTS
Sorry guys, had a personal situation last night that did not allow me to post the Spanish Soccer - Football Round 32 Liga Saturday Night games results. As the saying goes, better late than never.
Here is a very short summary of the main events with the important points being the final scores & the goal scorers.
Granada & Valladolid played a 1 - 1 draw. Goals came from Elbert with a spectacular
Here is a very short summary of the main events with the important points being the final scores & the goal scorers.
Granada & Valladolid played a 1 - 1 draw. Goals came from Elbert with a spectacular
Saturday, April 20, 2013
FOOTBALL FINANCE | REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA PLAYING FOR CHAMPIONS "CASH"
Real Madrid
& FC Barcelona are not only playing next weekend for a place in the Champions
League Final, they are each playing for a "juicy" 6.5M€, figure UEFA
pays for being a finalist. Plus just to know,the winner of Champions League gets an
additional 10.5M€.
The UEFA ChampionsLeague is big business for the fortunate participating clubs. This edition is
bigger with 500,7M€ in fixed
& FC Barcelona are not only playing next weekend for a place in the Champions
League Final, they are each playing for a "juicy" 6.5M€, figure UEFA
pays for being a finalist. Plus just to know,the winner of Champions League gets an
additional 10.5M€.
The UEFA ChampionsLeague is big business for the fortunate participating clubs. This edition is
bigger with 500,7M€ in fixed
Friday, April 19, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 32 FRIDAY NIGHT GAME RESULT
Spanish Soccer - Football action tonight with the Round 32 Liga game between Real Mallorca & Madrid Club Rayo Vallecano. The match ended after 90 minutes with a 1 - 1 draw result which was more a "loss" for both sides as the home team is in the relegation zone of the ladder while Rayo works to attempt to lift into Euro positions. Both stay the same after tonight & could not advance in their
REAL MARDRID CF | ANCELOTTI CHOSEN IF MOURINHO LEAVES
Current Coach José Mourinho neither affirms or denies that he will be leaving Real Madrid CF at the end of the season. However, signals give the impression that Mourinho will be heading elsewhere at the end of the current season & everything points to Chelsea FC. Said this there is some hard bargaining & negotiations happening with Chelsea & Paris St Germain is his second option if the first
Thursday, April 18, 2013
FC BARCELONA LOOKING FOR GOALS | A TRUE NUMBER NINE STRIKER
Spanish Sports daily based in the city of Barcelona "Mundo Deportivo" asks today the question: "What happens if Messi doesn't score goals? Who will?According to the above source, theses are questions that the FC Barcelona technical team & Directives asked themselves flying back from Paris after drawing 2 - 2 in the 1ºst leg quarter-final of Champions League against Paris St Germain & with Messi
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
WORLD SOCCER | REAL MADRID CF THE MOST VALUABLE CLUB IN THE WORLD
Prestigious Financial magazine & source "Forbes" writes the following headline:... "At $3.3 Billion, Real Madrid Knocks Manchester United From Top Spot".Spanish Football giant Real Madrid is the most valuable Club on the planet according to Forbes with revenues coming from stadium crowds, TV rights, Tours & sponsorship deals. The Spanish Soccer Club overtakes English Club Manchester United in
FC BARCELONA | JUVENTUS PREPARING AN OFFER FOR ALEXIS SANCHEZ
FC Barcelona player Alexis Sanchez , the man who self proclaimed himself as "a great Football player" to media while in International duties, has his future out of Barça according to local & overseas sources. The Chilean International has had a horror season with expectations way below what anyone at Barça would have thought when the Club decided to sign the player.The last weeks have been
REAL MADRID | KAKA - COENTRAO - HIGUAIN EXIT CANDIDATES
If in the below post I mentioned some of the FC Barcelona exit names for next season, here I will mention some of the names that are being said with exit Real Madrid, or at least that is the intention of the Club.
The name & player Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspurs keeps sounding locally as a potential new signing for Real Madrid next season. However, for the Welshman to arrive Real Madrid must
The name & player Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspurs keeps sounding locally as a potential new signing for Real Madrid next season. However, for the Welshman to arrive Real Madrid must
FC BARCELONA NEW SEASON 2013-2014 PLANNING | EXIT NAMES
Most Football Clubs are planning the next season 2013-2014, FC Barcelona is no different. Today Spanish Sports paper & considered "media ally" "Sport" write up the situation & possible exits for next season. Apparently they have the inside story of a recent Barça Directives & Coaching technical team meeting that laid the basis of the "new FC Barcelona". The paper has elaborated the below image to
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
REAL MADRID LOOKING AT SEVILLA FC PLAYER KONDOGBIA
If yesterday I posted that Real Madrid was looking at Juventus player Paul Pogba as a possible next season signing today Spanish Sports daily "AS" mentions another possible Real Madrid target: Geoffrey Kondogbia.
The versatile midfielder is currently at Sevilla FC & there are more Football Clubs than just Real Madrid interested. According to news source there is an apparent "bidding war" for
The versatile midfielder is currently at Sevilla FC & there are more Football Clubs than just Real Madrid interested. According to news source there is an apparent "bidding war" for
Monday, April 15, 2013
REAL MADRID THINKS IN PAUL POGBA TO REPLACE XABI ALONSO
According to Spanish radio, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez ordered a private jet to fly to Verona ( Italy ) to pick up the father of Juventus & French International Paul Pogba to later arrive in Madrid for a meeting in an outer suburbs Hotel.
The defensive midfielder has apparently been recommended by young French defender Rafael Varane . Paul Pogba could be the replacement of Xabi
The defensive midfielder has apparently been recommended by young French defender Rafael Varane . Paul Pogba could be the replacement of Xabi
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 31 MONDAY NIGHT GAME RESULT
Spanish Soccer - Football ended Round 31 with the last match scheduled of Liga tonight between two Clubs that are fighting for their Spanish First Division future. The winner was Real Mallorca 1 - 0 over Celta de Vigo after Giovanni scored in the very last moment to clinch the match & the valuable three points.
Celta is now last on the ladder with 24 points, while Mallorca with this win puts
Celta is now last on the ladder with 24 points, while Mallorca with this win puts
Sunday, April 14, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 31 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS
Spanish Soccer - Football action continued today with four more games of Round 31 of Liga. As yesterday there was plenty of goals with the following final results ( scores ) & goalscorers.
Madrid Club Rayo Vallecano fell 0 - 2 to the "revelation" Club of the Liga Real Sociedad. The Basque Club consolidate themselves a little more in the 4th position of the ladder & thus access to next season
Madrid Club Rayo Vallecano fell 0 - 2 to the "revelation" Club of the Liga Real Sociedad. The Basque Club consolidate themselves a little more in the 4th position of the ladder & thus access to next season
REAL MADRID NEWS | CARLO ANCELOTTI - CAVANI TIED UP ?
This next story should be taken for what it is, speculation without any official statement. The news comes out of the Barcelona based Spanish Sports daily "Sport", something good & bad, the first its out of the Real Madrid dominated media & the second bad because "Sport" is always attempting to put a spoke in the Real Madrid bicycle.According to reports, many observers believe that current Coach
RAUL GONZALEZ | KEEPS WINNING TITLES ( AL SADD )
Remember Raul Gonzalez? Ex-Real Madrid & Spanish International Legend? The player has helped out his current Football Team Al Sadd win the Qatar Football League. Al Sadd won the title after attempting to do so for the last 7 years.
The almost 36 year old Spanish Football player keeps piling up titles to his name. Al Sadd defeated 3-1 Al-Khuraitiat to secure the Qatar Championship, this gave
The almost 36 year old Spanish Football player keeps piling up titles to his name. Al Sadd defeated 3-1 Al-Khuraitiat to secure the Qatar Championship, this gave
Saturday, April 13, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 31 SATURDAY GAMES RESULTS
Four games of Spanish Soccer - Football scheduled today as part of Round 31 of Liga. Lots of goals & some emotional & heart stopping encounters. Here are all the final scores ( results ) & all the goal scorers.
Valladolid is hoovering around the danger-zone of the classification table & points are of importance. They managed three today with a worked 2 - 1 victory over Madrid Club
Valladolid is hoovering around the danger-zone of the classification table & points are of importance. They managed three today with a worked 2 - 1 victory over Madrid Club
REAL MADRID PRE-SEASON 2013 SCHEDULE | USA VISIT
Spanish Soccer - Football Club Real Madrid has let know its 2013 pre-season schedule. Spanish Football Sports has lots of American readers & friends & there is a good part of the pre-season that is down for the US. I thought that it may interest in case your in the planned US cities & wish to visit to see your favourite Football stars.Apart from the US , Turkey & Sweden will also be part of the
REAL BETIS COACH PEPE MEL | THE BIRD IS THE WORD
Spanish League - Liga - kicked off with Round 31 yesterday night in the most intense way it could, with a city of Sevilla derby between its two Football Clubs that divides the city : Real Betis ( traditionally working class ) & Sevilla FC ( the well doers ).
The match did not let anyone down & was up to expectations with intensity & a near Sporting pitch battle that included controversial
The match did not let anyone down & was up to expectations with intensity & a near Sporting pitch battle that included controversial
Friday, April 12, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | DERBY ROUND 31 | REAL BETIS 3 SEVILLA FC 3
Spanish Soccer - Football started this Friday Night with Round 31 of Liga. The match usually gets included in the Saturday games round-up post, but this match is special & deserves to be treated now & separately. The big Andalusia region & city of Seville derby is famous for its intensity as it divides the city with Football emotion that gets dangerously close to being over zealous.The Real Betis
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI FINALS DRAW MATCH-UPS
The Champions League draw for the semi-finals match-ups held this midday at UEFA H/Q in Nyon has giving the following clashes:
Bayern Munich - FC Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund - Real Madrid CF
The first leg matches are scheduled for the 23rd & 24th of April while the return 2º leg matches are down for the 30th of April & 1st of May.
There is a chance that we could have an all Spanish Final
Bayern Munich - FC Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund - Real Madrid CF
The first leg matches are scheduled for the 23rd & 24th of April while the return 2º leg matches are down for the 30th of April & 1st of May.
There is a chance that we could have an all Spanish Final
Thursday, April 11, 2013
FIFA RANKING | SPAIN Nº 1 APRIL 2013
The World Football governing body FIFA has released its monthly ranking of Top Football Nations. Spain remains in the Nº1 position again as the Best Football Nation on the Planet.
Here is the list of the Top 20 Football Nations according to FIFA for the month of April:
.1. Spain 1538 Pts
.2. Germany 1428
.3. Argentina 1292
.4. Croatia 1191
.5. Portugal 1163
.6. Colombia 1154
.7. England 1135
Here is the list of the Top 20 Football Nations according to FIFA for the month of April:
.1. Spain 1538 Pts
.2. Germany 1428
.3. Argentina 1292
.4. Croatia 1191
.5. Portugal 1163
.6. Colombia 1154
.7. England 1135
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | CRISTIANO RONALDO CURRENT TOP GOALSCORER
Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo is having his best Champions League season. The Portuguese crack is one of the principal reasons why his Club has got into the semi-finals. Ronaldo is the current leading goal scorer in Champions League with 11 goals. He is just only three goals away from equalling the all-time top mark of 14 goals reached by Altafini, Van Nistelroy & Lionel Messi. This feat
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
25 ANNIVERSARY | HUGO SANCHEZ "OVERHEAD" CHILENA GOAL FOR REAL MADRID
Spanish Soccer - Football is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of a goal. A special goal the touches "art" executed by Real Madrid Mexican player Hugo Sanchez. Many consider this one of the best "overhead" ( Chilena in Spanish ) goals ever practised with lethal success in World Football. The match was a Liga encounter with Club Logroñes.You can watch this over & over again & it is still just
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Q / FINAL RESULT | FC BARCELONA 1 PARIS ST GERMAIN 1 | BARÇA WINS IN AGGREGATE
Spanish Soccer giant FC Barcelona has qualified themselves for the semi-finals of the Champions League competition after drawing 1 - 1 at home against Paris St Germain in tonight's 2 º leg return quarter - final clash. Barça goes through thanks to their away goal advantage after drawing in Paris 2 -2 , this gave the overall aggregate a 3 - 3 result with more weight to the goals scored by Barça in
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
MANCHESTER UNITED ABOUT TO CLOSE FALCAO ?
New twist to the ongoing rumours about a possible next season destination for Atletico de Madrid Colombian International striker Radamel Falcao. The player was last said to be close to Chelsea FC but today Spanish Sports daily "Marca" claim that English giant Manchester United has entered the scene in a very big way.
Negotiations are advanced, so much so, that the Sports newspaper speculates
Negotiations are advanced, so much so, that the Sports newspaper speculates
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | REAL MADRID INTO SEMI FINAL - MALAGA ELIMINATED IN LAST MINUTE
Champions League at the quarter-final stage is serious business. The veterans will tell you that if you slip just an inch you will be punished severely. This occurred to all four teams that participated tonight in their 2º leg return games. In the Spanish case, the experienced & Champions League regular Real Madrid CF suffered & received a good scare, while the never before into quarter-final
Monday, April 8, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Q / FINAL | POSSIBLE REAL MADRID STARTING 11 LINE-UP AGAINST GALATASARAY
When it
comes to attempting to predict the possible Real Madrid starting 11 line-up
against Turkish Club Galatasaray, one has already a few signs & clues to
help out for the 2º leg Champions League quarter-final game in Istanbul.
We know
beforehand that Sergio Ramos & Xabi Alonso will not be present due to
yellow card accumulation suspension. Plus the defender expected to fill the place of
comes to attempting to predict the possible Real Madrid starting 11 line-up
against Turkish Club Galatasaray, one has already a few signs & clues to
help out for the 2º leg Champions League quarter-final game in Istanbul.
We know
beforehand that Sergio Ramos & Xabi Alonso will not be present due to
yellow card accumulation suspension. Plus the defender expected to fill the place of
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | MONDAY ROUND 30 RESULT
Last scheduled match of Round 30 of Liga between Sevilla FC & Athletic Club Bilbao was played this Monday night with the final result of 2 - 1.
Disputed match with non-stop end to end Football that saw both teams finish with 10 men. Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo put his team ahead first in the 4th min & from here the intensity picked up from Bilbao. Counters & midfield clashes that finally
Disputed match with non-stop end to end Football that saw both teams finish with 10 men. Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo put his team ahead first in the 4th min & from here the intensity picked up from Bilbao. Counters & midfield clashes that finally
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY | SPAIN vs REP. IRELAND IN NEW YORK ON JUNE
This is good news for the American readers of Spanish Football Sports & for those that live in the New York area. The Spain National Soccer Team with play the Republic of Ireland in an International Friendly match on the 11th of June 2013. This is part of the warm-up phase of games that Spain has scheduled before travelling off to Brazil to contest the Confederations Cup tournament.
The
The
Sunday, April 7, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 30 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS
Spanish Soccer - Football action continued today with four matches of Round 30 of Liga scheduled. Here are all the final results ( scores ) along with all the goalscorers.
Celta de Vigo lost at home 0 - 2 to Madrid Club Rayo Vallecano. The home side illustrated all the elements that has them second last on the Liga classification table. The two goals from Rayo Vallecano came from Piti in the
Celta de Vigo lost at home 0 - 2 to Madrid Club Rayo Vallecano. The home side illustrated all the elements that has them second last on the Liga classification table. The two goals from Rayo Vallecano came from Piti in the
Saturday, April 6, 2013
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 30 SATURDAY GAMES RESULTS - SCORES
Spanish Soccer - Football games played today as part of Round 30 of Liga. Plenty of goals & with bottom of the ladder teams fighting for their Liga life. Here are all the final scores ( results ) & all the goalscorers.
Battling bottom of the table area Granada got a real hiding from Real Betis losing 1 - 5. The home side was perhaps nervous with their ladder situation & was out played in all
Battling bottom of the table area Granada got a real hiding from Real Betis losing 1 - 5. The home side was perhaps nervous with their ladder situation & was out played in all
REAL MADRID | XABI ALONSO REPLACEMENT CANDIDATES
It´s known that Real Madrid Spanish International midfielder Xabi Alonso ends contract in 2014 & that he hasn't renewed his contract. According to Spanish Sports daily "Marca" one of the reasons is that the "rumour" of a possible arrival of ex-Liverpool Coach Rafael Benitez was not to his liking. The Club in their sincere endeavour to want to renew Xabi Alonso for at least another 2 years has
Friday, April 5, 2013
SERGIO RAMOS | QUOTE FROM SAMI KHEDIRA
“He is without a doubt one of the world’s best defenders; he has shown that for years, for Real Madrid and for Spain. He is a complete player, very fast and very skilful, he can help in attack, he is dangerous up front, he has a strong header, he is very fit and has everything you need in a defender. If I had to design the perfect defender, it would be Sergio Ramos.” (Sami Khedira)
FC BARCELONA | 8 CANDIDATES FOR THE DEFENCE
FC Barcelona is look for a Central Defender. This season as in the past, if the squad has a "weak spot" its in the defence & some of the past solutions with signings have not worked out well. Apart from this solid regulars have fallen with injuries or are reaching the twilight of their careers, ej Pujol.
The technical staff & fans realize this & continue to look for & come up with the right
The technical staff & fans realize this & continue to look for & come up with the right
THE UEFA IDEAL 11 PLAYERS FROM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 1ºst LEG Q/FINALS
Imagine you observed all of the Champions League 1ºst leg quarter-final games last Tuesday & Wednesday & was allowed to pick 11 players for your ideal team. That is what UEFA has done & has released their "Ideal 11" & here are the selected players:Willy Caballero; Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, Dante, Alaba; Gundogan, Xabi Alonso; Robben, Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo & Mandzukic
Impressive to say
Impressive to say
Gameweek 32 Preview
Clean Sheet Rankings
Attacking Rankings
Individual Rankings
Note: Individual rankings are based on an historical average data model only and no account is taken of expected playing time or rotation risk. Where a players is confirmed as injured or suspended I endeavor to remove them for the below listings but assumptions regarding rotation are not otherwise included in the below analysis.
Note: Individual rankings are based on an historical average data model only and no account is taken of expected playing time or rotation risk. Where a players is confirmed as injured or suspended I endeavor to remove them for the below listings but assumptions regarding rotation are not otherwise included in the below analysis.
FC BARCELONA FOLLOWING YOUNG FRENCH U-21 DIGNE
The Spanish Sports paper "AS" writes up a story today that puts a spotlight on young French U-21 International & Lille player Lucas Digne. The focus isn't just any, it is the watchful eyes of Spanish Football giant FC Barcelona which is said to be following the evolution of the player very closely. The French heir apparent to the position left vacant by Eric Abidal & with time Patrice Evre will
Thursday, April 4, 2013
FC BARCELONA NEW UNIFORM TOPS FOR 2013 - 2014
So you just bought yourself the lastest FC Barcelona shirt for 80 - 90 € & you look sharp. Well in a couple of months you will be "old school" as FC Barcelona will have a new line -up of gear. Spanish Sports Barcelona based daily "Sport" has let known in advance how FC Barcelona will look next season.
As you can see Barça regain their "old" look with strips & the black away from home shirt
As you can see Barça regain their "old" look with strips & the black away from home shirt
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SCORES | REAL MADRID 3 GALATASARAY 0 | MALAGA 0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0
Two Spanish Soccer - Football Clubs had their turn tonight with quarter-final 1º st leg games of Champions League. Overall positive results for the Spaniards with one Club finishing more happy than the other. Here are the final scores ( results ) & all the goalscorers.
Real Madrid hosted Turkish Club Galatasaray & won 3 - 0. This puts Real Madrid with a foot & half the other leg in the
Real Madrid hosted Turkish Club Galatasaray & won 3 - 0. This puts Real Madrid with a foot & half the other leg in the
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Q / FINAL | POSSIBLE 11 TEAM LINE UPS REAL MADRID - MALAGA
Big Champions League 1º leg quarter-final games tonight for two Spanish Soccer Clubs: Real Madrid CF & Malaga FC. As with these games there is always speculation pre-match on the starting 11 team line ups & Barcelona based Spanish Sports daily "Sports" attempts to help out with their ideas & info-graphs created by "Marc Reus".
For the Real Madrid - Galatasaray clash the above image is a
For the Real Madrid - Galatasaray clash the above image is a
Lineup Lessons: Gameweek 31
Arsenal
Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gervinho, Cazorla, Giroud
Subs: Szczesny, Vermaelen, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Jenkinson, Gibbs
Fabianski got the start between the sticks and despite conceding in what looked like a very promising defensive fixture, he'll represent tremendous value at the GK position if he can keep that job. I wouldn't bet on that for the long term but if your holding someone who looks playable in virtually every game remaining (like Begovic, for example) I'd be okay taking that risk as, if nothing else, it'll free some cash up rather than holding two 5.0m options, one of whom will possibly never play. I'm amazed how Podolski has been marginalised in the second half of the season but needless to say he, along with the other midfield/forward hybrid options don't look very ownable right now. Cazorla was a great play this week due to the fixture but I wouldn't get too carried away with his success as the underlying stats are still only so-so and he doesn't carry the kind of upside you get with Bale or possibly Mata. That said, the fixtures continue to look promising and in Walcott's absence he's the safest way to tap into this Arsenal side.
Aston Villa
Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett, Sylla, Westwood, Bannan, Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor
Subs: Given, El Ahmadi, N'Zogbia, Delph, Bowery, Dawkins, Lichaj
Not too much excitement here and N'Zogbia's place on the bench confirms his brief flash of fantasy relevance was merely a mirage. Somehow Benetke continues to put up excellent stats in this side and remains very ownable despite his lack of surrounding talent (though to be fair Weimann and Agbonlahor are a decent duo).
Chelsea
Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand, Mikel, Lampard, Moses, Oscar, Marin, Torres
Subs: Turnbull, Cole, Luiz, Ramires, Hazard, Benayoun, Ba
Benitez was up to his old tricks, rotating Hazard, Mata, Ba and Cole with one eye on the upcoming FA Cup fixture and his team was duly punished by a Southampton side who are continuing to impress after a shaky run of form threatened to drag them into the relegation fight. Given the fact they won the game, the future headaches are likely to continue (especially as they are also still in Europe), starting with the loss of their double gameweek in GW33. This may however provide an opportunity to mix and match assets to take advantage of more doubles, so long as sufficient planning is undertaken. They do play in Europe this week but the game is at Stamford Bridge, and after this week's loss at Southampton, one would imagine the majority of the fantasy stars will be restored this week. Despite his couple of goals of late, the uncertainty surrounding Ba's playing time prevents me from throwing him into that category I'm afraid.
Everton
Howard, Jagielka, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Gibson, Osman, Mirallas, Jelavic, Anichebe
Subs: Mucha, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Barkley, Stones, Duffy
Without seeing the game it's hard to tell from average position charts, but I believe Everton spent at least part of this game with a back three, which fits their personnel quite nicely, allowing Heitinga and Distin to play, while avoiding the awkward shoe-horning of someone into that right back spot who doesn't really fit. The key for fantasy purposes would be Baines' potentially advanced role, though the data from this one game doesn't suggest a radical change. Everton's fixtures make me really question whether this move would be enough to compensate for a presumed reduction in defensive point potential.
Fulham
Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Duff, Karagounis, Sidwell, Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov
Subs: Etheridge, Frimpong, Richardson, Hughes, Rodallega, Frei, Emanuelson
Nothing really to note here with little interest in this team other than the usual suspects in defense and Dimitar continuing to Dimitar. Be careful with those fixtures though before penciling the Bulgarian in for the remainder of the year.
Liverpool
Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Downing, Suarez
Subs: Jones, Sturridge, Coates, Suso, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel
Sturridge starting on the bench was a real blow as he was forecast for a big game by the model but one certainly wouldn't expect that to be a trend and the former Chelsea man looks set to be a good play again this week. With other double gameweek options developing, it's possible that Sturridge is the better Liverpool front man to keep here, freeing up the Suarez-level money to use on the van Persie's of the world when playing twice in a week. Not too much else to note in this side, and while I've been impressed with Coutinho's on the field work, his underlying stats are underwhelming thus he remains a very speculative 7.0m flyer rather than a logical investment of mid level cash.
Man City
Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Nasri, Barry, Yaya Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Tevez
Subs: Pantilimon, Kolarov, K Toure, Milner, Sinclair, Garcia, Aguero
I've long given up speculating on this lineup and the thought of Aguero finishing the season with less playing time than Andreas Weimann and Jamie Mackie is enough to bring one to tears, but alas, Mancini has shown distain for winning games all year so let's move on. The team fared just fine without the Argentinian this week and have created a decent haul of chances of late, suggesting there's hope that some value can be squeezed from this team for the remainder of the season. You wouldn't want to invest this week of course with a trip to Old Trafford on deck but after that they face a fairly favourable schedule and if the team suggests they're ready to show their true talent they could represent some useful high end differentiation, particularly in Silva and Aguero (if he's played).
Man Utd
De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Buttner, Valencia, Anderson, Carrick, Young, Kagawa, Rooney
Subs: Lindegaard, Evra, Evans, Nani, Cleverley, Powell, Welbeck
Widespread changes here, as expected, with the Chelsea game just two days later, so we shouldn't read much into any of these decisions. With United no longer competing on any other fronts, we will hopefully see the starters returned to the first team for the remainder of the year, though the fact that the title is also virtually over does increase the risk of players being given the odd game off to give youngsters their games or give players with single digit appearances enough games to earn a winners medal. The loss to Chelsea also guaranteed the double gameweeks for GW33, and the likes of van Persie will become hot topics in the next week or so.
Newcastle
Elliot, Simpson, Yanga-M'Biwa, S Taylor, Anita, Cabaye, Sissoko, Gutierrez, Obertan, Gouffran, Cisse
Subs: Harper, Perch, Good, Gosling, Birigimana, Marveaux, Campbell
At this point in the year, we would normally be concerned that a team like Newcastle might take their proverbial foot off the pedal with nothing left to play for, but after some poor results and form, they find themselves in a position where they're not technically safe from relegation. For fantasy purposes that is arguably a good thing as it ensures the team will continue to play hard, though that still doesn't answer the question of who one would want to target here. The starting lineup is pretty settled other than Obertan and Marveaux but finding value is still somewhat tricky.
Norwich
Camp, Martin, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, Howson, Johnson, Snodgrass, E Bennett, Hoolahan, Kamara
Subs: Steer, Whittaker, Holt, Fox, Becchio, Tierney, Tettey
We're seeing rotation up front between Holt, Kamara and Becchio, though with three starts in a row and some solid underlying stats, I would probably lean towards Kamara if pressed. Given his price (5.0m) and the arguable position that van Persie is a must own player for United' double, it's possible that he might have a place in our thoughts given a lack of too many other 5.0m options, especially given the home fixtures against Swansea and Reading in the next three weeks. The rest of this side is fairly predictable, though unfortunately so are the mediocre returns.
QPR
Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Samba, Hill, Traore, Townsend, Mbia, Jenas, Taarabt, Zamora, Remy
Subs: Green, Park, Mackie, Granero, Onuoha, Ben Haim, Hoilett
Can we stop talking about this team yet? In reality their season is over, though Remy at least gives us fantasy fans something to talk about. 11 SiB in the last five games is a decent haul and offers promise for the final weeks of the season, starting this week with a home game against Wigan. If you're sat on a ~7.0m player and could use the extra million to significantly improve elsewhere I'd be interested in Remy, but considering the weakness of his team, I'd be hesitant to put too much faith in him continuing to score goals at his current rate.
Reading
Taylor, Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey, Leigertwood, Karacan, Guthrie, McAnuff, Robson-Kanu, Pogrebnyak
Subs: McCarthy, Gunter, Le Fondre, Hunt, McCleary, Morrison, Akpan
Remy stops us ignoring QPR altogether, while Reading's version of that player can't get in the first team. Bad news for them but good news for me as I don't need to waste any more precious kilobytes talking about this awful side.
Southampton
Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Cork, S Davis, Puncheon, Lambert, Rodriguez
Subs: K Davis, Fonte, Ramirez, Fox, Forren, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado
Clyne and Puncheon appear to have been reinstated after brief absences and can probably both be owned again with confidence (though you'd be wanting to rely on them as good bench options rather than true every starters). Rodriguez has been putting up some very useful numbers of late and will be touched on in this week's fanning the flames while the rest of the team remains largely unchanged.
Stoke
Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Walters, Crouch, Jerome
Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Owen, Adam, Whitehead, Kightly, Wilkinson
Wilson is possibly the best value defender in the game right now and his 1% ownership really just speaks to managers not reviewing all their options at the end of a long season. The 1.9m saving from Shawcross or 1.6m from Huth should be no brainers for the numerous managers who hold that useful pair. Not much to interest us on the attacking side of the pitch though, though at the least the main options are fairly entrenched in Pulis' weekly lineup.
Sunderland
Mignolet, Bardsley, O'Shea, Bramble, Rose, N'Diaye, Gardner, Johnson, McClean, Sessegnon, Graham
Subs: Westwood, Kilgallon, Larsson, Colback, Mangane, Wickham, Mandron
With a new manager coming in it's tough to make any assumptions about long term playing time, but looking at the bench suggests that there aren't a great deal of options for Di Canio to opt for.
Swansea
Vorm, Tiendalli, Chico, Williams, Davies, Britton, de Guzman, Routledge, Dyer, Hernandez, Michu
Subs: Tremmel, Bartley, Monk, Ki, Lamah, Moore, Shechter
Nothing happening here and despite the double in GW36, the upcoming fixtures for Swansea paired with a lack of need to win games makes me nervous about grabbing anyone from this side.
Tottenham
Friedel, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Naughton, Parker, Dembele, Bale, Sigurdsson, Lennon, Adebayor
Subs: Archer, Assou-Ekotto, Caulker, Livermore, Holtby, Huddlestone, Defoe
We'll keep an eye on that Assou Ekotto situation but I would expect him to be restored this week and wouldn't suggest Naughton will be a long term option. Regardless, Dawson is the pick here given his combination of security and price tag. The front options all look pretty safe in this side though with Defoe lurking it's always tough to categorically state that Sigurdsson or even Adebayor won't be rotated every now and then. The other wordly Bale however looks undroppable and the bye in GW33 may warrant suffering through given his form and the promising remaining fixtures after the off week.
West Ham
Jaaskelainen, Reid, O'Brien, Collins, Demel, Nolan, Jarvis, Diame, O'Neil, Carroll, Vaz Te
Subs: Henderson, McCartney, Tomkins, Collison, Taylor, C Cole, Chamakh
No lineup notes here, though we do need to talk about Carroll in more depth, who has put up some very solid numbers since returning from injury six weeks ago. He'll miss this week's trip to Anfield due to the terms of his loan deal but might represent a sneaky option (though still overpriced) for the final stages of the season.
West Brom
Foster, Olsson, Ridgewell, McAuley, Jones, Yacob, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Long, Lukaku
Subs: Myhill, Popov, Tamas, Thomas, Rosenberg, Odemwingie, Fortune
No real issues here either and it's good to once again see Long and Lukaku deployed together. With little left to play for there is a twinge of doubt in my mind that Clarke may start leaning towards playing Long over Lukaku given the fact that the Chelsea man will not be returning next season, but for now that point seems moot.
Wigan
Robles, Scharner, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Boyce, McCarthy, Gomez, Beausejour, Maloney, McManaman, Kone
Subs: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Di Santo, Henriquez, McArthur, Espinoza, Stam
I am personally amazed that Robles is holding off Al Habsi in goal, as I consider the latter to be one the better 'keepers in the league. Robles' 4.0m price tag makes him viable as a rotation/bench option, though I'd have serious concerns about assuming that number one shirt is his to keep. Though we are seeing some decent reliability in this lineup, it's still hard to see value outside of the much fancied pair of Kone and Maloney.
Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gervinho, Cazorla, Giroud
Subs: Szczesny, Vermaelen, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Jenkinson, Gibbs
Fabianski got the start between the sticks and despite conceding in what looked like a very promising defensive fixture, he'll represent tremendous value at the GK position if he can keep that job. I wouldn't bet on that for the long term but if your holding someone who looks playable in virtually every game remaining (like Begovic, for example) I'd be okay taking that risk as, if nothing else, it'll free some cash up rather than holding two 5.0m options, one of whom will possibly never play. I'm amazed how Podolski has been marginalised in the second half of the season but needless to say he, along with the other midfield/forward hybrid options don't look very ownable right now. Cazorla was a great play this week due to the fixture but I wouldn't get too carried away with his success as the underlying stats are still only so-so and he doesn't carry the kind of upside you get with Bale or possibly Mata. That said, the fixtures continue to look promising and in Walcott's absence he's the safest way to tap into this Arsenal side.
Aston Villa
Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett, Sylla, Westwood, Bannan, Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor
Subs: Given, El Ahmadi, N'Zogbia, Delph, Bowery, Dawkins, Lichaj
Not too much excitement here and N'Zogbia's place on the bench confirms his brief flash of fantasy relevance was merely a mirage. Somehow Benetke continues to put up excellent stats in this side and remains very ownable despite his lack of surrounding talent (though to be fair Weimann and Agbonlahor are a decent duo).
Chelsea
Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand, Mikel, Lampard, Moses, Oscar, Marin, Torres
Subs: Turnbull, Cole, Luiz, Ramires, Hazard, Benayoun, Ba
Benitez was up to his old tricks, rotating Hazard, Mata, Ba and Cole with one eye on the upcoming FA Cup fixture and his team was duly punished by a Southampton side who are continuing to impress after a shaky run of form threatened to drag them into the relegation fight. Given the fact they won the game, the future headaches are likely to continue (especially as they are also still in Europe), starting with the loss of their double gameweek in GW33. This may however provide an opportunity to mix and match assets to take advantage of more doubles, so long as sufficient planning is undertaken. They do play in Europe this week but the game is at Stamford Bridge, and after this week's loss at Southampton, one would imagine the majority of the fantasy stars will be restored this week. Despite his couple of goals of late, the uncertainty surrounding Ba's playing time prevents me from throwing him into that category I'm afraid.
Everton
Howard, Jagielka, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Gibson, Osman, Mirallas, Jelavic, Anichebe
Subs: Mucha, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Barkley, Stones, Duffy
Without seeing the game it's hard to tell from average position charts, but I believe Everton spent at least part of this game with a back three, which fits their personnel quite nicely, allowing Heitinga and Distin to play, while avoiding the awkward shoe-horning of someone into that right back spot who doesn't really fit. The key for fantasy purposes would be Baines' potentially advanced role, though the data from this one game doesn't suggest a radical change. Everton's fixtures make me really question whether this move would be enough to compensate for a presumed reduction in defensive point potential.
Fulham
Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Duff, Karagounis, Sidwell, Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov
Subs: Etheridge, Frimpong, Richardson, Hughes, Rodallega, Frei, Emanuelson
Nothing really to note here with little interest in this team other than the usual suspects in defense and Dimitar continuing to Dimitar. Be careful with those fixtures though before penciling the Bulgarian in for the remainder of the year.
Liverpool
Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Downing, Suarez
Subs: Jones, Sturridge, Coates, Suso, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel
Sturridge starting on the bench was a real blow as he was forecast for a big game by the model but one certainly wouldn't expect that to be a trend and the former Chelsea man looks set to be a good play again this week. With other double gameweek options developing, it's possible that Sturridge is the better Liverpool front man to keep here, freeing up the Suarez-level money to use on the van Persie's of the world when playing twice in a week. Not too much else to note in this side, and while I've been impressed with Coutinho's on the field work, his underlying stats are underwhelming thus he remains a very speculative 7.0m flyer rather than a logical investment of mid level cash.
Man City
Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Nasri, Barry, Yaya Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Tevez
Subs: Pantilimon, Kolarov, K Toure, Milner, Sinclair, Garcia, Aguero
I've long given up speculating on this lineup and the thought of Aguero finishing the season with less playing time than Andreas Weimann and Jamie Mackie is enough to bring one to tears, but alas, Mancini has shown distain for winning games all year so let's move on. The team fared just fine without the Argentinian this week and have created a decent haul of chances of late, suggesting there's hope that some value can be squeezed from this team for the remainder of the season. You wouldn't want to invest this week of course with a trip to Old Trafford on deck but after that they face a fairly favourable schedule and if the team suggests they're ready to show their true talent they could represent some useful high end differentiation, particularly in Silva and Aguero (if he's played).
Man Utd
De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Buttner, Valencia, Anderson, Carrick, Young, Kagawa, Rooney
Subs: Lindegaard, Evra, Evans, Nani, Cleverley, Powell, Welbeck
Widespread changes here, as expected, with the Chelsea game just two days later, so we shouldn't read much into any of these decisions. With United no longer competing on any other fronts, we will hopefully see the starters returned to the first team for the remainder of the year, though the fact that the title is also virtually over does increase the risk of players being given the odd game off to give youngsters their games or give players with single digit appearances enough games to earn a winners medal. The loss to Chelsea also guaranteed the double gameweeks for GW33, and the likes of van Persie will become hot topics in the next week or so.
Newcastle
Elliot, Simpson, Yanga-M'Biwa, S Taylor, Anita, Cabaye, Sissoko, Gutierrez, Obertan, Gouffran, Cisse
Subs: Harper, Perch, Good, Gosling, Birigimana, Marveaux, Campbell
At this point in the year, we would normally be concerned that a team like Newcastle might take their proverbial foot off the pedal with nothing left to play for, but after some poor results and form, they find themselves in a position where they're not technically safe from relegation. For fantasy purposes that is arguably a good thing as it ensures the team will continue to play hard, though that still doesn't answer the question of who one would want to target here. The starting lineup is pretty settled other than Obertan and Marveaux but finding value is still somewhat tricky.
Norwich
Camp, Martin, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, Howson, Johnson, Snodgrass, E Bennett, Hoolahan, Kamara
Subs: Steer, Whittaker, Holt, Fox, Becchio, Tierney, Tettey
We're seeing rotation up front between Holt, Kamara and Becchio, though with three starts in a row and some solid underlying stats, I would probably lean towards Kamara if pressed. Given his price (5.0m) and the arguable position that van Persie is a must own player for United' double, it's possible that he might have a place in our thoughts given a lack of too many other 5.0m options, especially given the home fixtures against Swansea and Reading in the next three weeks. The rest of this side is fairly predictable, though unfortunately so are the mediocre returns.
QPR
Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Samba, Hill, Traore, Townsend, Mbia, Jenas, Taarabt, Zamora, Remy
Subs: Green, Park, Mackie, Granero, Onuoha, Ben Haim, Hoilett
Can we stop talking about this team yet? In reality their season is over, though Remy at least gives us fantasy fans something to talk about. 11 SiB in the last five games is a decent haul and offers promise for the final weeks of the season, starting this week with a home game against Wigan. If you're sat on a ~7.0m player and could use the extra million to significantly improve elsewhere I'd be interested in Remy, but considering the weakness of his team, I'd be hesitant to put too much faith in him continuing to score goals at his current rate.
Reading
Taylor, Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey, Leigertwood, Karacan, Guthrie, McAnuff, Robson-Kanu, Pogrebnyak
Subs: McCarthy, Gunter, Le Fondre, Hunt, McCleary, Morrison, Akpan
Remy stops us ignoring QPR altogether, while Reading's version of that player can't get in the first team. Bad news for them but good news for me as I don't need to waste any more precious kilobytes talking about this awful side.
Southampton
Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Cork, S Davis, Puncheon, Lambert, Rodriguez
Subs: K Davis, Fonte, Ramirez, Fox, Forren, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado
Clyne and Puncheon appear to have been reinstated after brief absences and can probably both be owned again with confidence (though you'd be wanting to rely on them as good bench options rather than true every starters). Rodriguez has been putting up some very useful numbers of late and will be touched on in this week's fanning the flames while the rest of the team remains largely unchanged.
Stoke
Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Walters, Crouch, Jerome
Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Owen, Adam, Whitehead, Kightly, Wilkinson
Wilson is possibly the best value defender in the game right now and his 1% ownership really just speaks to managers not reviewing all their options at the end of a long season. The 1.9m saving from Shawcross or 1.6m from Huth should be no brainers for the numerous managers who hold that useful pair. Not much to interest us on the attacking side of the pitch though, though at the least the main options are fairly entrenched in Pulis' weekly lineup.
Sunderland
Mignolet, Bardsley, O'Shea, Bramble, Rose, N'Diaye, Gardner, Johnson, McClean, Sessegnon, Graham
Subs: Westwood, Kilgallon, Larsson, Colback, Mangane, Wickham, Mandron
With a new manager coming in it's tough to make any assumptions about long term playing time, but looking at the bench suggests that there aren't a great deal of options for Di Canio to opt for.
Swansea
Vorm, Tiendalli, Chico, Williams, Davies, Britton, de Guzman, Routledge, Dyer, Hernandez, Michu
Subs: Tremmel, Bartley, Monk, Ki, Lamah, Moore, Shechter
Nothing happening here and despite the double in GW36, the upcoming fixtures for Swansea paired with a lack of need to win games makes me nervous about grabbing anyone from this side.
Tottenham
Friedel, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Naughton, Parker, Dembele, Bale, Sigurdsson, Lennon, Adebayor
Subs: Archer, Assou-Ekotto, Caulker, Livermore, Holtby, Huddlestone, Defoe
We'll keep an eye on that Assou Ekotto situation but I would expect him to be restored this week and wouldn't suggest Naughton will be a long term option. Regardless, Dawson is the pick here given his combination of security and price tag. The front options all look pretty safe in this side though with Defoe lurking it's always tough to categorically state that Sigurdsson or even Adebayor won't be rotated every now and then. The other wordly Bale however looks undroppable and the bye in GW33 may warrant suffering through given his form and the promising remaining fixtures after the off week.
West Ham
Jaaskelainen, Reid, O'Brien, Collins, Demel, Nolan, Jarvis, Diame, O'Neil, Carroll, Vaz Te
Subs: Henderson, McCartney, Tomkins, Collison, Taylor, C Cole, Chamakh
No lineup notes here, though we do need to talk about Carroll in more depth, who has put up some very solid numbers since returning from injury six weeks ago. He'll miss this week's trip to Anfield due to the terms of his loan deal but might represent a sneaky option (though still overpriced) for the final stages of the season.
West Brom
Foster, Olsson, Ridgewell, McAuley, Jones, Yacob, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Long, Lukaku
Subs: Myhill, Popov, Tamas, Thomas, Rosenberg, Odemwingie, Fortune
No real issues here either and it's good to once again see Long and Lukaku deployed together. With little left to play for there is a twinge of doubt in my mind that Clarke may start leaning towards playing Long over Lukaku given the fact that the Chelsea man will not be returning next season, but for now that point seems moot.
Wigan
Robles, Scharner, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Boyce, McCarthy, Gomez, Beausejour, Maloney, McManaman, Kone
Subs: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Di Santo, Henriquez, McArthur, Espinoza, Stam
I am personally amazed that Robles is holding off Al Habsi in goal, as I consider the latter to be one the better 'keepers in the league. Robles' 4.0m price tag makes him viable as a rotation/bench option, though I'd have serious concerns about assuming that number one shirt is his to keep. Though we are seeing some decent reliability in this lineup, it's still hard to see value outside of the much fancied pair of Kone and Maloney.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Q / FINAL RESULT | PARIS ST GERMAIN 2 FC BARCELONA 2
Spanish Soccer Club FC Barcelona travelled to Paris to play the 1º leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Paris St Germain. The final result ( score ) finished in a 2 - 2 draw which still gives Barça a handy two goal away advantage for the next week return 2º leg game back at "Camp Nou" Barcelona. Paris St Germain retain their chances of going through with a "miraculous" last second
Monday, April 1, 2013
POSSIBLE FC BARCELONA STARTING TEAM 11 LINE-UP AGAINST PARIS ST GERMAIN
Big Champions League Football game coming up between Paris St Germain & FC Barcelona in the 1º leg quarter-final clash of the competition. Both teams are showing maximum respect for each other & FC Barcelona comes into the match without that "unbeatable aura" of past encounters.The 2 - 0 defeat by Barcelona at Milan in their last away game has given opponents signs, clues & hopes on how to cancel
SPANISH SOCCER | LIGA | ROUND 29 MONDAY NIGHT RESULTS
Spanish Soccer tonight with the last two games scheduled of Round 29 of Liga. Here are the final results ( scores ) & all the goalscorers.
Athletic Club Bilbao hosted Granada & won 1 - 0 against the grain. Once again the Bilbao performance did not impress & were outplayed by Granada which deserved much more for all their efforts tonight. But Football can be cruel sometimes & Granada paid
Athletic Club Bilbao hosted Granada & won 1 - 0 against the grain. Once again the Bilbao performance did not impress & were outplayed by Granada which deserved much more for all their efforts tonight. But Football can be cruel sometimes & Granada paid
EUROPEAN GOLDEN BOOT 2012-2013 | LIONEL MESSI RUNAWAY LEADER
It's natural that Barcelona based Spanish Sports daily "Sport" remind everyone that FC Barcelona player Lionel Messi is currently "light years" ahead of all the European Football contenders for this seasons "European Golden Boot Award". The Argentine & Barça marvel has currently 43 goals ( 86 points), with current second place with Real Madrid astro Cristiano Ronaldo with 28 goals ( 56 points ) ,
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