With a double Gameweek for Chelsea and Aston Villa on the cards, The Scout gets down to business and assesses the opening fixtures.
The Scout previews Gameweek 1
With a double Gameweek for Chelsea and Aston Villa on the cards, The Scout gets down to business and assesses the opening fixtures as the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season prepares to get underway.
Jose Mourinho is handed back-to-back home fixtures upon his return to Stamford Bridge, as the Blues entertain Hull City and Aston Villa, while the midlands outfit also face a testing trip to the Emirates Stadium.
A number of new managers are handed some difficult opening away ties. David Moyes’ Manchester United make their way to the Liberty Stadium to face in-form Swansea City, Roberto Martinez’ Everton travel to Norwich City, while Stoke City’s first match under Mark Hughes sees the Potters roll up to Anfield in Saturday’s curtain-raiser.
Elsewhere, Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping to get his tenure at the Etihad Stadium off to the perfect start as Manchester City entertain Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur take a trip to promoted Crystal Palace and Sam Allardyce’s West Ham United play host to Championship winners Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.
Talking tactics
Chelsea’s pair of home fixtures are bound to bring significant investment the Blues’ way but with an abundance of talent at his disposal, Jose Mourinho may be tempted to utilise the depth of his squad over the two matches. Brazil’s David Luiz and Spain trio Cesar Azpilicueta, Juan Mata and Fernando Torres have not long returned to pre-season training following an extended break due to Confederations Cup duties and may be eased back into first-team contention, while the same may apply to Frank Lampard – the veteran has missed the vast majority of summer action with an Achilles injury. With new boys Andre Schurrle and Marco Van Ginkel added to the mix, along with the loan return of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne, Mourinho has strength in depth in attacking areas – with a Gameweek 2 trip to Old Trafford preceding the European Super Cup Final against Bayern Munich, The Scout has a feeling that plenty of rest and rotation will be on the cards.
Gareth Bale’s likely absence for Tottenham’s trip to Crystal Palace may bring Gylfi Sigurdsson and Nacer Chadli onto Fantasy radars. With the Welshman looking set to miss out at Selhurst Park due to an ongoing foot problem, Andre Villas-Boas has decisions to make over the space vacated behind lone striker Roberto Soldado; both Sigurdsson and Chadli have alternated in the middle and on the left in recent friendlies in a 4-2-3-1 and could thrive in a central position. Alternatively, Villas-Boas may move to the 4-3-3 formation favoured at former club Porto – such a scenario may see Paulinho handed the role as most advanced option through the middle against the Eagles.
Wilfried Zaha could be primed for a start on the right in David Moyes’ first Premier League match in charge of champions Manchester United. The former Crystal Palace man has featured in the first XI in most of his side’s pre-season fixtures and with doubts over fellow-wingers Nani and Ashley Young, he looks in the driving seat to retain his place, after being given the nod in last Sunday’s Community Shield win over Wigan Athletic. Danny Welbeck also seems in line to keep his starting berth. With Wayne Rooney’s fitness in question and Shinji Kagawa’s Confederations Cup duties with Japan limiting his pre-season, Welbeck tucked in behind Robin Van Persie in Moyes’ preferred 4-4-1-1 formation against the Latics and looks firmly in contention to remain in the first XI for Saturday’s trip to Swansea.
By the numbers
As always, The Scout has been keeping a keen eye on the summer’s friendly action. Analysing the top pre-season scorers, there are plenty of mid-price protagonists for Fantasy managers to consider, with as many as eight of our featured 12 costing no more than 8.0 of your budget.
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