Dilemmas of the Week - Gameweek 3 (25/26)

 

Well, it didn't take long for us to start getting a mini-flood of irksome injuries, to add to all the other early season uncertainties of flakey form, less-than-100% fitness, and erratic team selection.

I'm trying to streamline these weekly round-ups a bit from last year, restricting myself for the most part to just the injuries etc. affecting players that are likely to have a major significance in FPL; and also, of course, only to new injuries - I figure everyone should be aware of players who've already been ruled out for some time!  

[For some years, I have found the 'Injuries & Bans' summary on Fantasy Football Scout the most reliable resource for this kind of information; although this site, Premier League Injuries, is a very good alternative (often a little quicker to update, I think - though it did go through a bit of a glitchy period for a while last year).  Go check these out for more comprehensive coverage. 

I see the Fantasy Premier League site has added an improved 'Player Availability' page this year (though hidden under 'The Scout' tab?!). That also seems to be reasonably comprehensive and up-to-date, but god knows how it's supposed to be 'organised' - maybe by 'date of injury'? Obviously, arranging it by club and alphabetical order would be more sensible; but the denizens of FPL Towers seem to have a deep aversion to the sensible.]

So, what are the conundrums we face ahead of Gameweek 3 of the new season?

Does anybody need to be moved out because of injury?

The biggest blow in FPL last week was highest-owned player Cole Palmer dropping out minutes before the kick-off after feeling soreness in his groin during the warm-up (a problem that he'd apparently been troubled by all week, and may have inhibited his performance in the opening gameweek). Apparently, it's 'not too serious', but we haven't heard any further details during the week. It seems unlikely he'll be risked this weekend, although he might still appear on the bench; and there appears to be no danger that he won't be back for Gameweek 4 after the international break - so, we ought to be able to carry him on our benches for one week.

Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka also had to come off in last week's match, just either side of half-time, with a shoulder injury and a hamstring strain respectively. Again, neither said to be too serious: Odegaard might be available this weekend, but Saka will probably have to rest up until mid- or late-September. (Though not that many people had either of them yet anyway, as Arsenal have a rather tough early fixture-run this year.)  There hasn't been any news on Ben White's injury status either; but again, his problem was not announced to be anything significant, so there must be some chance that he will reappear again for the Liverpool game; FPL managers who've rushed in for Jurrien Timber on the back of his best-of-the-week haul out of nowhere last weekend, may be dismayed to find that he's currently only 2nd choice, behind White, at right-back, and 2nd choice, behind Calafiori, at left-back....

Georginho Rutter is still a doubt for Brighton too (though I don't suppose many will fancy starting any of their players against City; although that, I think, might be a mistake - they are the sort of side that can cause a few upsets, and City's defence is still looking rocky).

Fulham's Harry Wilson is likely to be out, after picking up a painful knock on the foot in the League Cup in midweek. (This might mean a first start for Emile Smith Rowe, although he still looks a long way off full fitness; maybe Adama Traore will get the nod instead? We probably don't fancy any of their players this week for a West London derby, though....)

Alexis Macallister has been back in training this week, after missing last week's game against Newcastle with a knock - should be OK to start.

Rayan Ait-Nouri limped off in the first half against Spurs last week with an apparent hamstring problem, but has apparently been deemed fit enough to be called up for the Moroccan national squad - so, might be able to make an appearance at Brighton this weekend?

Newcastle were in the wars in their epic Monday night game: in addition to Gordon's sending off, they suffered injuries to Fabian Schar (knock to the head), Sandro Tonali (shoulder), and Joelinton (thigh strain - again). Schar, surprisingly, seems to have passed 'concussion protocols' and is looking likely to start; Tonali is a 50/50 (nothing serious, but still in quite a lot of discomfort); Joelinton will probably be missing for at least a month (which will probably create an opening for new signing Jacob Ramsey to get a start).

Sunderland's Dan Ballard, whose ownership had surged up to 7% after his improbably huge haul in Gameweek 1, picked up a groin strain in the League Cup this week, and looks set to be out for a little while.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is now apparently a doubtful starter for Wolves, because of a sore Achilles - but one wonders if that is just cover for an ongoing transfer discussion....

Do we have any players who are dropped, or not looking likely to get the starts we hoped for?

Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo is suspended for one game after picking up 2 yellow cards in the League Cup tie on Wednesday.

And Anthony Gordon is beginning a three-game ban for what was deemed a 'serious foul play' challenge on Virgil Van Dijk in Monday night's game.

Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa are still excluded from consideration at their current clubs, because of anticipated imminent transfer moves.

Ebere Eze would probably not have been fancied to start immediately for Arsenal on Sunday, having only had a week to train with his new teammates. The injuries to Odegaard and Saka perhaps make it more probable that he will be rushed into service straight away, but.... Arteta is such a detail-oriented coach that I doubt he will feel satisfied that Eze has sufficiently internalised his ideas by this weekend (and perhaps not even after the international break...!); and for such a huge fixture, an early potential 'title decider' at Anfield, I very much doubt if he'll get more than minutes off the bench.

Did anyone give other cause to consider dropping them?

The whole Crystal Palace team, having come through another tough preliminary tie in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, are likely to be a bit leggy for their visit to Villa on Sunday evening - and no doubt reeling from the loss of their most creative player (plus, they still have rumours of an imminent move away for their captain and defensive lynchpin, Marc Guehi, hanging over them). So, although, on recent form, they look like they should comfortably have the beating of floundering Villa, I wouldn't be betting on any of their players this weekend.

Although Burnley look like they should be a fairly easy opponent for Manchester United at Old Trafford today, the humiliation of their League Cup defeat (where they just didn't put up much of a fight for most of the game, allowing themselves to be comprehensively outplayed by a much better organised and more committed fourth-tier opponent), and the intensified speculation over Amorim's possible imminent removal (I think he has to go, as soon as possible; but it might be difficult to find a replacement), mean that it's suddenly a bit of a risky punt even to stick with United players you may already have (Cunha or Mbeumo, and - less justifiably - Bruno Fernandes, have been very popular picks so far), let alone bring in any new ones for this fixture. Burnley, in fact, are probably now favourites to at least claim a draw... and might be able to sneak a win.

Did anyone play so well, you have to consider bringing them in immediately?

Well, it's encouraging - in the short-term, at least - that Joao Pedro seems to thrive in the No. 10 role even more than as an outright forward. And Jack Grealish made a very encouraging start for Everton. Iliman Ndiaye, Dan Ndoye, and Marcus Tavernier looked very good for a second successive game, and should also be competing for attention as fifth-seat midfielders.

Arsenal fans are getting terribly excited about big returns from Timber and Calafiori (calm down - it was only against Leeds!); but neither of them can yet be regarded as nailed starters, and the Gunners face probably their toughest fixture-run of the whole season over the next four games. Similarly, I wouldn't yet be too optimistic about the prospects for Gyokeres (nice that he's got off the mark; but it was only against Leeds!), or Eze (how often will he start, or how prominent a creative force will he be even if he does start regularly - when Saka and Odegaard are also playing?).

BEST OF LUCK, EVERYONE!