Tag Archives: arsenal

More European disappointment for the English sides

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The Premier League’s European struggles continued with Tottenham and Liverpool suffering exits in the Europa League. Arsenal suffered a humiliating defeat at home to AS Monaco, so their chances of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League are slim. Manchester City lost their first leg clash against Barcelona, while Chelsea were fortunate to come away with a draw in their first leg game. Everton were the only team to seal their place in the last-16 if the Europa League, and is caps what has been a miserable week for the English representatives in the European competitions.

The English Premier League is said to be the most competitive due to how any sides seem to take points off each other at the top of the table over the course of a season, but the Champions League and Europa League seems to always cause the sides to stumble up. A lot of the time it isn’t even to elite opposition. Liverpool would consider themselves a much strong outfit than Besiktas, but over two legs the Turkish club have seen past them, albeit via penalties. Tottenham had a tougher draw against Fiorentina, but the Italian Serie A side are fifth in their domestic league, so are they not just an Italian equivalent?

Why does England continue to fall short against the European sides in Europe? The Premier League has a good record of having a representative in the latter stages down the years, but the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, and Arsenal have continued to fall short in recent years, despite fighting for the domestic title through the course of a season. And the aforementioned have been outfoxed by much lesser teams on paper, and all three sides have had very experienced and successful managers in charge too.

With Arsenal and Manchester City having a tough task to win on the road against Monaco (3-1 agg) and Barcelona (2-1) at the very minimum to stand a chance of going through, their Champions League dream looks over for another season. And with Liverpool and Tottenham out of the competition, it means Chelsea (Champions League) and Everton (Europa League) could be the last two Premier League sides in Europe this season. For a league with so much money, and so much talent at the top level, it’s certainly a big disappointment to see lesser sides going further than the best team in the English top flight.

Would premature Champions League exit see Arsene Wenger call time with Arsenal?

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Arsenal were humiliated by a well-drilled, much better organised, and ultimately superior AS Monaco side at the Emirates on Wednesday night, with the French Ligue 1 outfit winning 3-1 in the first leg of the Champions League second round. The result now means Arsenal have to score three goals at a ground defensively resolute this season for the Gunners to stand a chance of reaching the quarter-final. It’s very unlikely they will make it past the second round once again as a result.

For manager Arsene Wenger, his worst nightmare was realised. It’s been five years since they last made it past the second round of the Champions League, and to lose at home in what was supposed to be a favourable tie could well be what tips the long-serving manager over the edge. Supporters have been patient during the trophy drought, and continuous premature exits in Europe, but there was a sense of confidence that they could finally make a run in the competition.

Arsenal being knocked out by Monaco in the second round would be one the biggest Champions League shocks in recent years, and one that the fans would not let Wenger forget in a hurry. His tenure was once judged on his success, but now about his consistency achieving lesser goals. The Gunners look out of Europe for another season, and Wenger may well consider his time with the club in the summer as a result.

But his own admission, Arsenal were expected to be challenging on all four fronts. Their title hopes were ruled out very early into the season, Southampton knocked them out of the Capital One Cup at the Emirates, so they have just the FA Cup that’s their best chance of winning a trophy. Is it really enough to appease the supporters? The club will be hurting after the Monaco defeat, and it’s after such losses that things are put into perspective.

Arsenal are on course to finish top-four of the Premier League, but the Londoners have taken a step back from last season with the team and with results. Wenger’s contract runs until 2017, but supporters will be demanding drastic action be taken after a catastrophic result. There’s little proof the club are going forward despite having financial restraints loosened in the last couple of years, so is that down to Wenger? Has he exhausted his time at the Emirates? Will the potential Champions League exit spell the end of his tenure with Arsenal?

Is Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud one of the most underrated strikers in Europe?

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Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud scored both goals as the Gunners earned a 2-0 win at home against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth round, and it seems to have gone unnoticed just how much of an impact the French international has had since returning from a lengthy injury.

Giroud, 28, has scored seven goals and made three assists in his last 10 games in all competitions. His two goals against Middlesbrough summed up some of his best qualities. The first was a close range finish that took good movement and anticipation to steer a firm low cross into the back of the net. Bread and butter for the experienced forward.

His second goal was all down to his technique. Giroud volleyed a corner whipped into the near post with ease to double Arsenal’s lead, but such moments of quality are often ignored when the Gunners forward is involved.

Giroud has scored a number of great goals this season, with his long range effort into the top corner against Manchester United earlier in the campaign one of his best of the current campaign. Since his arrival at the Emirates, the Frenchman has scored 49 goals in 115 games.

Despite missing a large portion of the season through injury, Olivier Giroud has returned in the exact same form he was showcasing prior to being sidelined. It’s not easy finding a consistent goalscorer in the Premier League, but for some reason Giroud is never spoken among European’s finest centre-forwards.

Since the start of the 2013/14 season, Giroud has scored more goals than the likes of Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Romelu Lukaku (Everton) Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Robin Van Persie (Manchester United), but isn’t regarded by many as one of Europe’s best strikers. He scores and creates a goal every 112 minutes at Arsenal, and is already their second highest scorer this season despite having started only nine league games.

Scoring 34 goals in 69 Premier League starts is no mean feat, and certainly proves the £16M man has been worth the money. Manager Arsene Wenger took a big risk after signing him from the French top-flight, but Giroud’s brilliant in the last 18 months especially has more than vindicated the decision. He promises goals when he plays, and looks perfectly engrained in the Gunners’ philosophy. But still he doesn’t get the praise he warrants. Is Giroud one of the most underrated players in Europe?

Coquelin’s rise in the Arsenal side vindicates Arsene Wenger’s youth philosophy

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Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has shone upon his introduction to the first-team this season, and it’s come as a great surprise for the supporters, while also vindicating manager Arsene Wenger’s philosophy as a coach.

With a growing treatment table of midfielders, as well as Mathieu Flamini & Mikel Arteta being out of contract in the summer, many felt the Londoners were going to shop for a commanding player to help nullify the threat of the opposition in the shape of Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) or Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), but instead the answer to their problem was right under their nose.

Francis Coquelin, 23, was on loan with Championship side Charlton Athletic this season, but was recalled by Wenger to come into the side during the injury crisis. He’s since made seven Premier League appearances, averaging a tackle or interception every 11 minutes.

Talks about a new contract are said to be in the offing following the Frenchman’s rise in the first-team, and his manager has been full of praise, saying: “I saw that he made huge improvements in training, and since I have played him, he is doing well. He is a very young player. You look just at what happens on the pitch. Win the ball and make a good pass, in his position that is important. We have offered him a new deal.”

The Arsenal boss also said Coquelin would likely be the answer to the club’s alleged need for a holding midfielder, and Wenger’s ethos has to be praised as a result. Signing a Khedira or Matuidi standard of player would set the club back more than £20M in today’s market, so having Coquelin – who has been at Arsenal since he was 17 – is a perfect option for them.

Wenger has been criticised for his faith in the youngsters, but he’s currently been vindicated for trusting his signings, rather than needing to spend high amounts on European talent. There was a question if Coquelin would be ready to be thrown straight in the deep end, given he was playing for Charlton earlier this campaign, but if your philosophy revolves around youth players, eventually the time has to come to give them a chance – something Wenger will always do.

The French midfielder could now become a mainstay as Arteta & Flamini’s successor, which has effectively cost Arsenal next to nothing.

Wenger displays new-found tactics

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Arsenal earned an impressive 2-0 away to Manchester City this weekend, which saw the Gunners having just 35% possession. Arsene Wenger’s men had a gameplan from the start to nullify the threat of City’s creative players, and it was very successful with David Silva and Sergio Aguero enduring quiet afternoons.

It’s not often that the Londoners allow so much possession to any opposition, with Arsenal normally synonymous with playing a high defensive line – and their players pressing in the opponent’s half – but this time the backline sat deep, and the midfield followed.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina was hardly called into action during the 90 minutes, and the centre-backs were barely breaking a sweat due to how organised the Gunners were. Manager Arsene Wenger was full of praise for his side’s discipline, and believed they controlled the game to keep City at bay.

“Our defence has been questioned a lot (this season). The target was to put it right, and to win a big game away in the league. (We showed) great unity, solidarity, togetherness and compactness in our team. We had the consistent discipline for 90 minutes that’s needed in big games, and we looked in control away from home. Finally (we‘ve) got a big win in a big game away from home,” he said.

The most pertinent question Wenger was asked in his post-match interview was why it had taken him so long to adopt this obvious tactic in the big games. The 65-year-old was cautious with his answer, insisting he’s played defensive in the past, but this really was a new-look to Arsenal that hadn’t been seen in years.

Arsenal have been on the end of thrashings in recent years against the elite clubs in the Premier League, with Wenger naming offensive-minded teams to try and match their opponents. It simply hasn’t worked time and again, but their new approach did the job perfectly.

Parking the bus and staying in the game means any half chance that went their way could be pivotal, and they were awarded a first-half penalty that Santi Cazorla scored from to give the Gunners the lead.

The last time Arsenal won in the league at the Etihad Stadium was 2010, and now many will be paying attention to see how often Wenger looks to play defensive again. Supporters had been crying out for the Londoners’ boss to finally adopt a ‘park the bus’ method, as humiliating losses had become too hard to take.

Fabregas making Wenger regret lack of Summer interest

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Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has picked up where he left off in the Premier League, scoring twice and making 12 assists in 16 games in his first season back since leaving Arsenal back in 2011. The Spanish international, 27, signed for the Blues for around £30M this summer, but the biggest surprise is that no other side made a genuine approach.

The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United were two of the many European sides linked with Fabregas that never made a bid, and it seems odd that no club deemed him worth signing. Chelsea are currently top of the Premier League, and Fabregas has been a chief contributor to their bright start.

Fabregas has been trumping the rest of the competition, and has certainly paid off his transfer fee. Manager Jose Mourinho had been looking for a creative midfielder to replace Frank Lampard, and has found a perfect fit in the Spaniard, who is already being tipped by bookies to be named PFA Player of the Year.

A player perfectly of the Spanish mould, with some English industry rubbed off on him too from his many years at Arsenal, the talented 27-year-old possesses great vision, and eye for goal, while being level-headed and a model professional. He’s a popular figure in the dressing room, and boasts an incredible CV. He could walk into any side in the world, but wasn’t as heavily coveted in the summer as many would have imagined.

With Arsenal’s ageing midfielders Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini having just one year left on their respective deals, Manchester United eyeing up a long-term replacement for Michael Carrick, while long-serving Liverpool player Steven Gerrard was in need of a successor at Anfield, Fabregas was destined for a Premier League return. He spent eight years with Arsenal, turning into one of the best midfielders in the league in his time with the Londoners, but the Gunners surprisingly overlooked him this summer.

Manager Arsene Wenger suggested the likes of Mesut Ozil would provide the creativity, and that Fabregas was not needed in the side. Liverpool couldn’t compete with Chelsea for his signature, while Manchester United were looking at then-Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos.

With Mourinho’s side flying high and in contention of winning all four major trophies as things stand with Fabregas playing a focal point, the decision made to overlook him is something many clubs could live to regret, but it’s not as if the Spaniard hasn’t been outstanding all through his career.

Wenger back in fashion?

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With Arsenal just two points adrift from a top-four place in the Premier League after 16 games played, were the supporters too quick to request the sacking of manager Arsene Wenger?

The long-serving Gunners boss has been under pressure in his position, after the London side ensured a slow start to the campaign. But a recent 4-1 victory against surprise package Newcastle saw them back on track to finish in a Champions League spot.

A lot had previously been made about Arsenal’s lack of wins against sides in the top-half of the table, but wins against Southampton and Newcastle have silenced their critics of late, and they are welcoming back a host of key players to boost their chances of achieving their objectives too.

Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud have recovered from their lengthy injuries and have already influenced results upon their return. Laurent Koscielny is expected to be back in action in the New Year, which means Arsenal will be even stronger at a crucial point in the campaign.

Supporters were perhaps guilty of getting ahead of themselves this season without paying attention to Arsenal’s injury list and games to play that could see them climb up the table. The Londoners still have plenty of work to do, but victory in their next game could well see them in a top-four place as they will have hoped at the start of the campaign.

It’s easy to forget that Arsene Wenger is still without the likes of Mesut Ozil (knee), Theo Walcott (groin), Mikel Arteta (calf) and Jack Wilshere (ankle) from the first-team, pivotal players from the previous season.

Arsenal are also into the Champions League last-16, and have been given a favourable draw against French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, so things are looking up for the Gunners. They have a break from European fixtures, which will mean players are given adequate rest in between fixtures, so injuries shouldn’t be as much of a problem for the next two months either.

Recent form has been impressive, with three wins from four Premier League games to gain ground on the sides around them. It hasn’t been the best campaign, but it’s far from their worst considering how many other teams have also been dropping points.

Currently sixth, two points off fourth, favourable draw in the Champions League last-16, while facing Hull City in the Fa Cup third round, Arsenal have a lot to play for this season. Were supporters too quick to jump on Wenger’s back?

Will Manchester United regret selling Danny Welbeck?

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With Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck having bagged a double in a man-of-the-match performance for England against Slovenia in their fourth Euro 2016 qualifier, were Manchester United right to let him go this summer?

The 23-year-old has taken his England tally to 13 goals in 31 games after his impressive showing against Slovenia. It caps what has been a good start to the season for club and country for Welbeck, with the former United academy player having scored five goals in 12 games in all competitions for Arsenal.

His deadline day sale to the Gunners came as a surprise given the promise he’d shown in his many years at Manchester United, but manager Louis Van Gaal revealed his inferior goal tally – compared to that of United’s other strikers Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao – was the reason for his sale.

His seemingly large £16M transfer fee was questioned too when compared to Daniel Sturridge’s £12M move to Liverpool in January 2013, but performances would always speak for themselves when Welbeck put on an Arsenal shirt.

The England and Arsenal striker offers a different attacking threat to the Gunners’ first-choice Olivier Giroud, as he boasts more pace than the majority of Premier League stars, while possession great movement off the ball to drag opposition defenders out of position. Welbeck’s versatility also sees him drifting into wide areas to collect the ball, which opens up space for teammates to fill.

His great link-up play also means Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could well see a strike partnership develop when Olivier Giroud is back into the first-team. Such qualities were on did play against Slovenia, with Welbeck, teammate Jack Wilshere, and Wayne Rooney enjoying some quick exchanges in attack.

Being only 23 years old would also mean he has many more years still to develop, and a 10+ year career still ahead of him. Welbeck has made more than 30 caps for England, and 190 appearances at club level in all competitions.

Manchester United supporters were divided after the sale of Welbeck, as the young striker had certainly shown more than enough promise to believe he could be a mainstay with the Red Devils, while many felt he wasn’t good enough to be a United calibre player.

This season, the 23-year-old has already bagged a Champions League hat-trick for his new side, and has relished being the focal point of their attack. For England, he continues to perform and ripple the back of the net, boasting an impressive 1 goal every 2.4 games at international level.

So will Manchester United regret letting him go?

Can Jack Wilshere evolve into a mainstay deep-lying playmaker?

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Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere put in another impressive performance in an England shirt against Scotland on Tuesday night, with the 22-year-old grabbing his first assist for the Three Lions. Wilshere played a beautiful lofted ball into the onrushing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who deftly headed the pass into the back of the net to give England the lead.

Wilshere has come under a lot of criticism in the past for not contribution with goals and assists, but his performances for England in a new position seem to be getting the best from him. Only Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner made more touches in the England team against Scotland than Jack Wilshere, who also made the most interceptions (3) and dribbles (2) too.

The 22-year-old clearly is relishing being a first-team player under Roy Hodgson, and is finally starting to show some end product to his game. In the Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia, Wilshere once again came away with some of the plaudits for a fine performance at the base of the midfield for England.

Despite being a player of short stature, Wilshere is very physical, and never afraid to throw his weight around. He shields the ball very well, is very confident and composed when in possession, and always wants the ball in dangerous areas to harm the opposition. But England manager Roy Hodgson has looked to play him in a deeper position, solely to take advantage of his wide range of passing.

The England playmaker is the best passer of the ball in the England team now, and also offers combative attributes on the pitch, reading the game well to make important interceptions, while never being afraid to make a tackle.

Wilshere has been around for a while, but his best form over a run of games is something few have seen in a long time. This season, his influence will be maximised in the Arsenal side, with holding-midfielders Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini struggling for form.

The youngster can do the dirty work in the engine room, can play long balls out of trouble pinpoint to any player, and now has an end product to his game. Hodgson will be licking his lips at the prospect of Jack Wilshere by the time Euro 2016 comes around, and from what he has seen when utilising the young playmaker in a deep-lying role, the Arsenal academy graduate has the potential to be a successful mainstay.

Is new Walcott deal a sign of new Wenger approach?

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With Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger publicly revealing the club are in contract talks with Theo Walcott, despite the long-serving player’s having another 18 months to run on his deal, why wasn’t the Gunners boss so eager to renew the deals of his former stars – most notably, Robin Van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna?

The Gunners boss has previously let the contracts of many important players run down to the last 12 months, which caused friction between both parties leading to an exit, as the players in question were coveted by big clubs offering long-term deals by comparison. Arsenal’s stalling of contract talks made up a lot of players’ minds in the past.

Wenger was forced to cash in on Robin Van Persie at the start of the 2012/13 season, as the Dutchman’s deal was up the following summer. Even last campaign, Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna both refused to sign new deals with the club and left to Barcelona (£10M) and Manchester City (free) respectively, as their contracts were up at the end of the campaign.

So when will the Arsenal manager learn to do his deals early? By letting contracts run down, Wenger risks losing more and more players in the same fashion as he has done in the past. It was certainly strange that the Londoners have been so keep to pin down Theo Walcott’s future too, considering the England international has only just returned after an 11-month injury layout.

Walcott has never uttered any displeasure with the club, and in fact was recently full of raise for Arsenal for all the hard work from the club’s medical staff that has gone into making his return to action this year. The 25-year-old has been with the Londoners for eight years after signing from Southampton. In the Premier League, the only clubs arguably better for a career move than Arsenal would be Manchester City and Chelsea, and neither side are interested in his services, so is there any risk he’d leave?

There’s little chance of Walcott moving abroad either, and not just due to his recent recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Arsenal forward has only recently become a father, so he would be very reticent to move his family away.

Are the supporters in their right to be angry at the club for inconsistency regarding contract talks for players?

Focus on Fabregas as Chelsea take on Arsenal

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The build-up for Arsenal’s visit to Premier League leaders Chelsea has been dominated by two players – former Gunner Cesc Fabregas facing his old club and the fitness of Diego Costa. But it’s a game that will be decided as much by the performances of John Terry and Per Mertesacker, the respective rocks in each defence.

Terry is a long-standing lynchpin at Stamford Bridge. The 33-year-old has spent almost his entire career with Chelsea – a brief loan at Nottingham Forest aside – and across his 600 games, has rarely been anything less than a fan’s favourite. Last season was one of Terry’s best, Chelsea conceding only 27 league goals, with the captain picking up 340 EuroFantasyLeague.com points, making him one of Europe’s 10 best defenders.

Mertesacker hasn’t always enjoyed hero status among the Gunners’ faithful. He was more of a figure of fun when he first arrived in 2011, a distinct lack of pace and discomfort on the ball leading to some shaky performances. But the Germany international has grown into the club to the point he is arguably Arsene Wenger’s first choice centre-back, as well as the subject of a memorable – if foul-mouthed – song from the Emirates Stadium stands.

Last season’s trip to Stamford Bridge was a harrowing one for Arsenal, going down to 10 men and losing 6-0. That in part explains why Mertesacker claimed only 245 EFL points despite keeping as many clean sheets – 16 – as Terry. Which side keeps a clean sheet on Sunday will determine where the points go as the Premier League table takes shape and with defences built around the commanding Terry and Mertesacker, the chances of either side routing the other are slim indeed.

Arsenal vs Tottenham – What the Fantasy Football points tell us

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Tottenham travel to their North London rivals on Saturday looking to kick-start their season under new Coach Mauricio Pochettino, against an Arsenal side that appear to be experiencing familiar problems themselves.

Tottenham have begun to stutter in recent matches – since their 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool, they went a further three games without victory, ended only by a midweek win over Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.

The Gunners sit two points above their rivals, but have had far from a successful recent spell, themselves winning only one of their last five matches, away to Aston Villa, and being knocked-out of the League Cup at the hands of Southampton.

So both teams will be looking to the derby to build confidence upon which to challenge for the top four.

Who will be able to provide that spark on Saturday afternoon? Let’s look at the main points scorers for both sides heading into this clash.

Aaron Ramsey, thanks to some early season good form, currently heads the EFL points list for Arsenal with 55, closely followed on 45 by both new signing Alexis Sanchez, and centre-back Laurent Koscielny. Despite some early season criticism, Mesut Ozil has 40 points, making him the fourth best performing Gunner. Striker Danny Welbeck comes in with 30 points, level with Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs.

For Spurs, early season goals have made some higher points scorers at the top of table. Defender Eric Dier leads with 80 points, on the back of two goals, whilst Nacer Chadli has 70 points, scoring three times thus far. In third position on 50 points is Hugo Lloris, closely followed on 45 by club captain Younis Kaboul, and on 40 attacking midfielders Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela.

Can these statistics tell us anything about how the game will go? The lack of points for strikers (30 a piece for Adebayor and Welbeck), suggest goals might come from midfield, and looking at the quality on offer in the centre of the park, this might be a good indication of where the points will be won.

Arsenal stutter as European competitions get back in action

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With the European qualification continuing this week, we are at the latter stages and that much closer to determining just who will advance to the Champions League and Europa League tournaments proper. Now, while players’ performances in these tournaments do not directly affect their points tallies in the Euro Fantasy League game, it will have an impact later on in the campaign for players who represent clubs who enjoy a continued run in the continental competitions. Fitness levels, fixture pileups, as well as a fair few potential air miles being clocked up can all have a say in how clubs perform domestically, so we will be taking a look at who is likely to continue and advance the hard way and just which players may struggle.

Of course, players are conditioned to spend as long as they can on the football pitches without compromising their health, and while managers do of course hold their stars’ interests at heart there will be an almost inevitable time in each season where players have to take it up a notch, digging out those extra degrees of performance in order to try and aid their clubs’ trophy hunt, and the fixture lists particularly during group stages and then at the business end of the season have been the source of many a manager’s ire.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been vociferous in lamenting the demands placed on Europe’s most successful clubs in the past, and while his squad have made a solid start to the season, causing much optimism among the Emirates stands, they do still have some work to do in order to advance to the group stages. They drew 0-0 at Besiktas on Tuesday, but lost Welshman Aaron Ramsey to a red card following a second bookable offence. While the result does seem to put the north Londoners in the driving seat, with a home clash starting at essentially a dead heat, Arsenal must be wary of conceding a goal which will effectively be worth two to Besiktas owing to the away goals rule – the Gunners must look at the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez to get the job done in front of the Turks’ goal, and ideally help Olivier Giroud put the ghosts of the first leg to rest as the Frenchman found himself frustrated at the front.

A good run of form for Arsenal in the league, despite the fixture pileup, has seemed to aid the Gunners at times in the past, with fine form being successfully translated from the continent to the English pitches, but Wenger will of course have to keep one eye on fitness levels as the match commitments go on the up if his side do eventually advance.

Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Lille are three other fairly big names in club football going through the qualifying stages, but of these the Germans were the only ones to record a win in their first leg, with Lille falling short and Napoli managing a draw. This means there will be some real potential fantasy points winners still in with a shout of advancing, with the likes of Stefan Kießling and Bernd Leno at Leverkusen looking good for a run in the cup. Players generally remain fresh enough to handle the extra fixtures and travel during the earlier group stages, but towards the knockout stages things start getting a little trickier so potential rests are something that our fantasy managers should take into account – as we have seen already this season, anything upwards of 50 points can be earned from a single great performance and so a missed game (for whatever reason) can prove costly to your EFL fantasy team. It’s definitely something to think about, hence why the inclusion of a solid points-scorer from a “smaller” club is always advisable.

Top performers of the weekend – Ligue 1 and Community Shield kick-off season

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The football season is now officially underway, with France’s Ligue 1 kicking off over the weekend and the annual tradition of the Community Shield kicked off the English season, though that competition does not count points towards managers’ fantasy teams. That said though, it does give something of an indication of where things could be headed at least in the early doors of the season, so let’s get down to it and see just who the big hitters were.

No fewer than five players in the French top flight are presently tied for top spot on our points’ scorers tables, with Christopher Maboulou (SC Bastia), Mevlüt Erdinç (AS Saint-Étienne), Dario Cvitanich (OGC Nice), Mathieu Duhamel (Caen) and Marseille’s Andre-Pierre Gignac all bagging themselves 40 early points – a cracking start for the guys, who all play as strikers. Interestingly, at the time of writing, only Gignac actually features in any fantasy teams – only 2%, however, foresaw his value up front. Of these guys, Erdinç proved the best value inclusion as his asking price is only €3.50m – a full mill lower than nearest counterparts Cvitanich and Gignac. All of these stars bagged two goals each for their respective sides on opening day.

Talismanic star Zlatan Ibrahimovic got off to a predictably splendid start, bagging two goals of his own for PSG, but unfortunately he also missed a penalty which cost him 10 points, dropping him down to 6th, 10 points behind the aforementioned strikers. Not only did that penalty miss mean he was deducted 10, but he also missed out on 10 as well as that would have meant a hat-trick, which includes 10 bonus points – meaning the miss was actually worth 20 to the negative for the Swede. Had that spot kick found its target, he would be top with a beautiful 50 points from the off.

Several defensive players find themselves with a mountain to climb already having finished their first games in negative totals, with goalkeepers Alphonse Areola (SC Bastia), Zacharie Boucher (Toulouse), Jesper Hansen (Évian Thonon Gaillard F.C) and Steve Mandanda (Marseille) all kicking off on -20. They are joined in that group by former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho (Monaco), who also finds himself there owing to having been dismissed.

Moving north of the pond towards England now, Londoners Arsenal saw off their northern rivals – and Premier League champions – Man City by an impressively comfortable 3-0 margin to claim the FA Community Shield. Having gone nine years without a trophy, this represents Arsenal’s second piece of silverware in as many competitive games. While the game does not directly impact on the league season, it does mean the Gunners arguably have something of a psychological edge over the Citizens ahead of next weekend’s kickoff, and goals from Santi Cazorla, midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Frenchman Olivier Giroud show that this trio in particular has an eye for finding the net already, and manager Arsene Wenger will surely be hoping that trend continues once the formalities get underway on Saturday.

With Man City, the direct implications of the result could well be that Chilean boss Manuel Pellegrini looks to tweak his squad, though many cite the fact that the Blues’ starting lineup looked considerably weaker than the expected league teamsheet means that this scenario is unlikely. With Stevan Jovetic sniffing around goal there certainly seems to be some success in front of the net lying in wait for him this season, but regardless of one’s opinion of the strength of City’s team in this fixture, it could certainly be interpreted that the champions can scarcely afford any slipups this term, and can surely not become too complacent when it comes to selection. The quality is certainly there to oust them should they miss a beat, and Arsenal have proven themselves capable of being one of those sides breathing down City’s necks in the event of that happening.

Man City vs Arsenal, Community Shield Preview

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Calm down ladies and gentlemen – the wait is almost over. That awful period between one season ending and another kicking off is winding down, and the players are by now all but set to get things going for another grueling few months of week-in, week-out competition.

Traditionally, before the Premier League season kicks off we get a straight battle between the winners of the previous campaign’s FA Cup and the league champions – or league runners-up if a single team won both competitions. This Sunday, FA Cup holders Arsenal square up against Premier League supremos Man City at Wembley for the FA Community Shield – and fans of both sides will be keen to see how their players are shaping up after the World Cup in the summer, and especially to see how the new faces fit into their sides. With plenty of players turning out for their new club for the first time in competitive competition, this game seems a difficult one to call.

When Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid around this time last year, many fans held out hope that the German could prove the catalyst to end their nine-year long wait for a trophy. Through a combination of team-work and dedication, the Gunners finally ended that hoodoo – and could claim another trophy in their next competitive game if they can overturn Manuel Pellegrini’s Citizens.

New Gunner Alexis Sánchez is valued at a cool €12.50m in our fantasy competition this season – some €4.00m more than the aforementioned Ozil – and this could be a risky investment considering the fact that he is only just arriving on English shores, having previously spent three years at Barcelona. Given his pace and general flair, it is not expected to be too much of an ask to see the 25-year-old settle in at the north London club fairly quickly and Arsenal fans will be hoping he can help the club sustain a serious title challenge this year. They were off to a great start last time around, but fell off in the later stages of the season.

Sanchez – the most expensive Arsenal player thus far in our new season’s game – held a value of €8.00m last season, but went on to earn a nice 475 points, ranking him as the 17th best overall player to have in your squad. This would certainly point to the fact that Arsenal have obtained a gem of a player, and one who can surely surprise City on the day if he is able to use his pace to catch them unawares.

The Blues, however, have their fair share of talent new and old on display as well – with former Chelsea veteran Frank Lampard potentially set to make his debut for the champions following the completion of his six-month loan move to the north west.
For any fantasy managers interested in throwing a couple of faces in their squads from the reigning champions – no doubt there will be a few – Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure are the joint most expensive City players, but with the Blues having seemingly won their battle to keep the latter at the club it seems sure that he will be wanting to ensure they have not wasted their time – both players are likely to repay any fantasy managers’ faith with their inclusion, but former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna could come in to face his old club, and his value of €7.50m means he may well represent a good value signing for your fantasy team.

As Arsenal and Hull prepare for the FA Cup final, here are their star performers of the season

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The 133rd FA Cup Final takes place this weekend, with two clubs desperate to get some long-awaited (by their own respective standards) silverware added to their trophy cabinets, and as a result many Fantasy Football managers will be keen to get as many of those players into their own lineups as possible – especially those who have enjoyed a nice, point-laden season for the fantasy bosses out there.

For the favourites, Arsenal are likely to name Wojciech Szczesny as the stopper, and the 24-year-old has indeed established himself as Arsene Wenger’s no.1 this season, with his 370 fantasy football points placing him only marginally behind the club’s top pointsman, Olivier Giroud. He also has the fourth best points to value rating of the entire squad, behind only Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny and Tomas Rosicky – at €8.50m, the Poland international surely represents great value.

Frenchman Giroud goes into the game only 10 points ahead of his side’s custodian, earning himself 10 points in the final league game of the season against relegated Norwich. His 16 goals from 36 starts surely make him one of the first names on Wenger’s Wembley teamsheet, especially with eight assists, tying him in second place alongside Ramsey and Santiago Cazorla, and behind only club record signing Mesut Özil.

Gunners defender Thomas Vermaelen spoke earlier this week about seeing the Hull game as a potential catalyst for the north Londoners to return to trophy-winning ways, but the Belgian has not had a great season by any standards – while his 45 points earned this season represent a marked improvement over last term, where he scored -15, fantasy football managers would surely be mad to move him into their squad at this stage. This omission from the first team owes largely to the fantastic partnership Koscielny has formed with Per Mertesacker in the Arsenal defence this season – Mertesacker’s 245 points thus far will have helped managers who picked him early on massively, and of course also helped the club qualify for Champions League football next season.

Moving the attention over to Hull now, the fantasy points totals are understandably much lower overall – after all, Hull scored the third fewest goals in the Premier League this term. On-load star Jake Livermore has been the Tigers’ best performer this season in fantasy football competition, and while his 170 points may pale in comparison to many of the competition’s top players his value of €2.50m give him a P/V ratio of 68 – better than any player in the entire Arsenal squad. His influence will be ignited by the fact the opponents are Arsenal – bitter rivals of his parent club, Tottenham.

Shane Long has had a great time since joining Hull in January, the Republic of Ireland international becoming a regular and popular figure in the striped shirt. He is second only to Livermore in Hull’s top points scorers as far as fantasy football is concerned, though he has failed to add to his 150 points in two games this month.

Allan McGregor’s debut season for the club looks set to climax in a Wembley start, though his 105 fantasy football points total leaves him sitting 70th among the goalkeepers in this season’s list.

Arsenal, on paper at least, look set to claim a win and send an echoing sigh of relief among their supporters, but one need only look as far back as last season when Wigan beat Man City in this fixture to know that surprises are still more than capable of being sprung. Overall, however, Arsenal have enjoyed the better season – the likes of Mertesacker and Giroud especially should be considerations for any fantasy team moving into the 2014-15 campaign.