Fantasy Planning - Man City

[Guilbert53]

After adding "questions" about the teams that finished first and second in the Premier League (Chelsea and Spurs) - here is an email about the team that finished third - Man City.

Because they finished third this year they are playing in the Champions League.

But by Pep Guardiola's standards it was a poor season. Only third in the league, did not win either domestic cup, and did not win the Champions League.

So he has had a massive clearout.

All four full backs have gone (Kolarov, Clichy, Zabaleta and Sagna), other players to leave are Caballero (GK) to Chelsea, Iheanacho (striker) to Leicester, also Fernando, Nolito, Jesus Navas have gone, and finally Hart (loan to West Ham),

Other players who are being offered for sale are Delph and Nasri and Bony and maybe even GK Bravo and centre Back Mangala though none have gone yet.

And he has bought five new players, and all for big money:

Edison Moraes - Goalkeeper from Benfica for about £35 million
Walker - Wing back from Spurs for about £45 million
Mendy - Wing back from Monaco for about £50 million
Danilo - Wing back from Real Madrid for about £30 million
Bernardo Silva - Midfield from Monaco for over £40 million

(Note they now have a DAVID Silva and an BERNARDO Silva)

So four of those players they bought are for the defence, and one for midfield.

They already have a number of central defenders (Stones, Kompany, Otamendi, Mangala) so these three wing backs and the goalkeeper now complete a fine defence.

Man City do have a crop of exciting outfield players such as De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero, Jesus Navas, Sterling. David Silvia and these can all probably be relied upon to score fantasy points this season.

And now coupled with a new (and maybe better) defence they will challenge for the title and some of the cups.

Personally I think Man City will have a good season and many of their players will score high fantasy points.

[fiction-factory]

Good summary- although in the antepenultimate paragraph you must have meant Gabriel Jesus rather than Jesus Navas. You could also have mentioned the experience of Toure and Fernandhino as holding midfield players (and the exciting young prospects of Patrick Roberts and Brahim Diaz further forward)

[Guilbert53]

Thanks for clarification.

Sorry, yes Gabriel Jesus not Jesus Navas (silly typo, I knew it was one "Jesus").

Good point about Toure and Fenandinho, but of course defensive midfield players don't always score well in Fantasy football, and my family email (and this update) was mainly about Fantasy football.

I have been tracking the pre season games (for all the big clubs) and noticed Diaz has scored a few.

However neither Diaz or Roberts are listed as fantasy players (at least in the Telegraph) so I did not think it was worth a mentioning them.

To be brutally honest I send these emails to my family because I tend to win our "family" Fantasy Leagues every year so I am trying to help them out to get a bit of competition !

I am not a Man City fan, nor a fan of any team in the Premier League, so my summaries are based on online research I do.

Thanks again.

[fiction-factory]

You are right, although Toure has scored quite a number of goals, especially free kicks and penalties- he often gets in double figures (though Aguero usually takes penalties now).
That reminds me- just as an extra tip for those entering Fantasy leagues this year, a penalty taker is often a good choice, particularly if they are also either a defender, striker or creator- last year Milner was a defender for Liverpool but scored a few penalties

[-Talbot-]

I wouldn't put Navas or Sterling in my Sunday pub team on last years form.

[Lie-in King]

Morning Guilbert & f-f! I hope you're both getting ready to join AB's League for this season? I look forward to seeing your teams appear - anyone else seeing this is welcome as well, obviously, the more the merrier! :-))

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Sport/Football/Question1560700.html

[Lie-in King]

You too Talbot! Sorry, you weren't there when I posted :-)

[-Talbot-]

I'll have a bash, LiK ... Maybe see if the kids want a go, they think they know everything there is to know about football.

[Guilbert53]

>>>I wouldn't put Navas or Sterling in my Sunday pub team on last years form.

Navas has in fact left City.

Sterling was the 10th best scoring fantasy midfield player in the Telegraph last year.

And as for "value" (price against points scored) he was 11th.

Though I have to agree he would not be my first choice, Alli and Erikson both scored far more than him .

My "choice" midfield player for this year would be Salah of Liverpool who looks a good bet for quite a few fantasy points.

[Guilbert53]

>>>I wouldn't put Navas in my Sunday pub team on last years form.

If you read my appends above you see I got confused between Jesus Navas and Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus Navas has in fact left City and gone back to Seville.

Gabriel Jesus signed for City in the January 2017 transfer window and was keeping Aguero out the side for a time last season.

He did look an exciting player until he got injured last season.

So far in Man City's pre season games the manager started with Aguero in one game on his own, and Jesus in one game on his own.

But in two other friendly games he has started with both Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, including the last friendly game where they beat West Ham 3-0 with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Aguero and Stirling.

In fact Stirling has scored a goal in the last 3 Man C friendlies !