16 Apr 2014
Gameweek 34 - Preamble-ish
Evening gaffers,
It’s hearts in mouths time yet again as gameweek 34 saunters into its final stages with two games on offer.
Everton take on Crystal Palace with both sides in top fettle. The Merseysiders will look to build on a terrific run of results that has seen them win seven matches on the bounce. Add to that the desire to pip Arsenal (who saw off West Ham 3-1 last night) in the race for fourth place and you sense there won’t be dearth of motivation. Palace meanwhile will look to push on in what’s fast turning out to be a tremendous recovery job by manager Tony Pulis. Seven points clear of the relegation places, the Eagles recent form has seen them reap 9 points on the march as well as mounting a steady ascent towards mid table safety. Everton will look to assert themselves at Goodison Park whereas Palace will, as has been their remit under Pulis, set up to be difficult to beat. As regards the fantasy protagonists, all eyes will be on the usual lads - Lukaku, Coleman and Baines. The latter pair delivered a clean sheets in the weekend against Sunderland and will be hoping to replicate the same. Lukaku’s contribution (or lack of) will have left managers scratching their heads (he was the runaway leader in this week’s captain poll) but the Belgian will definitely look to make amends tonight against a parsimonious Palace rearguard. For the Eagles, the managerial focus will largely be directed towards a defensive unit that has masterminded the division’s fifth best defensive record. Jason Puncheon’s recent fettle that has seen him net 6 goals in 13 appearances will also see gaffers cast a keen eye.
Elsewhere City welcome a struggling Sunderland outfit to the Etihad. City will look to return to winning ways following defeat at Anfield. They will be without Yaya Toure who is sidelined for a fortnight after picking up an injury against Liverpool. Sergio Aguero is fit to start and gaffers (particularly those who handed him the armband) will be hoping he fares better than he did in his short cameo at Anfield. Sunderland meanwhile will be hoping against hope to curtail their rapid slide into the second tier. Things look pretty bleak for the Wearsiders who look increasingly resigned to the drop following what has been a remarkably abject campaign.
Switching gears to the LoF, Dennis Kigen was reaped the greatest reward from the weekend travails as his 61 point haul saw him ascent two places into fifth. A significant move for a number of reasons but also one whose gains potentially hinge on a captaincy decision. His preference for Luis Suarez over others who had the added allure of a double gameweek (Messrs Aguero and Lukaku)could come back to bite hard should the aforementioned excel tonight. The lower half of the top ten meanwhile witnessed a spate of movement. Wamae FC and Mystagogue fell a couple of places while Die Mannschaft clambered into 8th place. Football Love held fort at 10th whilst Still Thinking and Bazinga FC both moved a place up, at the expense of Superwoman who dropped into 13.
Well that’s about the size of it,
- denniskig at 22:00