Usually I start these pieces with a standard preamble about the importance of transfers and the factors that dictate our choices regarding them. But this time, with our first midweek Gameweek of the year upon us, I will just repeat my observations from last Friday that, at this crazy time of the year, unpredictable team selections and fluctuations in form make these choices even harder than usual, and it is wise to proceed with extreme caution.
So, what are the conundrums we face ahead of Gameweek 14?
Does anybody need to be moved out because of injury?
Gabriel and Partey are doubts to start for Arsenal.
So too are Okoli and Emi Martinez (which could be a bit of a windfall for the 100,000 or so who went for Robin Olsen as their back-up keeper - although with Villa's current dismal form, they don't look likely to return many defensive points).
Isak's doubtful after coming off with a 'knock' on Saturday as well. Though I imagine that he'll play if he can walk, as Wilson doesn't yet look fit enough to attempt anything like a full 90 minutes, and while Gordon can, as we know, do a decent job as a 'false 9', it's a bit of a waste of his talents.
There seems to be no news yet on Konate and his 'knee injury' sustained in last week's game against Real Madrid; but no news is bad news, I fear, and he's also likely to be out for a little while. (Well, it's 'good news' for Joe Gomez owners, I suppose.)
Mavropanos and Solanke both missed the weekend with illnesses, and might be out again; but at least it looks as though Cristian Romero might be ready to return for Spurs.
Do we have any players who are dropped, or not looking likely to get the starts we hoped for?
Sasa Lukic, Kobbie Mainoo, Nelson Semedo, Tyler Dibling, and Tayor Harwood-Bellis will all serve a one-match ban this Gameweek, for collecting a fifth yellow card of the season last weekend (as if things weren't bad enough for Southampton already!). At least Mo Kudus is due back from his five-game ban for the Everton game. However, we are now into that phase of the season where we are likely to see quite a rash of these totting-up bans in almost every Gameweek.
Pep unexpectedly wielded the axe against Gvardiol and Ederson at the weekend, so their starts must again be uncertain - although it's not clear (when is it ever, with Pep?) whether dropping them was a one-off 'rest', or change for change's sake (perhaps to give important back-up players a few valuable minutes?), rather than a negative judgement on their performances. But City are so poor at the moment, it would probably be better to steer clear of any of their players - even if there weren't additional doubts about who might be going to start (I noted yesterday that we have to fear a desperate Pep; his decisions are likely to get even more quirky and unpredictable over the next month or two).
Did anyone give other cause to consider dropping them?
Marcus Rashford may have earned himself a repriece, with a rather livelier performance against Everton as the left-sided '10'; however, I can't help feeling that Mason Mount or perhaps even Christian Eriksen might be better fits for that role; and he might also be contesting it with Zirkzee and Garnacho. Rasmus Hojlund's place might also be in jeopardy after a very good all-around display as the '9' against Everton from Zirkzee. Though I'd be wary of going in for any of United's players as yet, because their grasp on what Amorim wants from them tactically still looks a little shakey, and I imagine the new manager will for a while continue to rotate his squad experimentally, until he finds a 'best 11' that he's really satisfied with.
Kyle Walker doesn't look to have the legs for the Premier League any more, and is becoming the biggest liability in a suddenly very rickety City defence; I would be very surprised if he gets many more starts.
Did anyone play so well, you have to consider bringing them in immediately?
The Sheep, of course, will be piling in for Schade and Evanilson, failing to appreciate that their performances were pure freak events that won't be repeated in years. Evanilson is starting to look a decent forward option, but I'm still wary of the extent to which Bournemouth share their fairly meagre goals haul around so many players (and the fact that he's not on penalties for them!); I don't see how he beats out Joao Pedro, Delap, Wissa, or Strand Larsen as a cheap forward pick.
Although I said above that I'm nervous about picking any Manchester United players until Amorim's selections settle down, Amad Diallo was, for me, the one absolute stand-out of the weekend.
Fraser Forster also impressed on his debut in the Spurs goal - but he's not that cheap, and that defence is too weak to make him a very attractive pick, I fear; but perhaps he'll hit that sweet spot of having to make lots of saves but still occasionally picking up a clean sheet.
BEST OF LUCK, EVERYONE!
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