1. Blech Dawgs
With the first pick, gets the best and most reliable captain in Lampard. Can carry teams all by himself.
GK: “B”: - 2 reliable GK but not on teams with lots of shutouts.
Def: “C” – No Rocks (i.e. > 130 last year) and not on teams with lots of shut-outs.
Mid: “A+” - **** Lampard; plus Bolton’s Petrov (*** if stays healthy); Bale with his pace and improving to be a regular and he’s a bonus magnet; N’Zogbia is steady and a top bonus magnet for Wigan; and Hitzlsperger, with his cannon foot could be the steal of the draft in Round 7.
Paul obviously focused on getting the best midfield available by using 5 of his 1st 7 picks for mids and it paid off.
Fwd: “B“ – Lots of unknowns. First, will Torres stay healthy? If yes, then this could be awesome. The problem is that with the high salaries of both Torres and Lampard, it limited other options. If Torres is slow to regain fitness, could lose value before Paul would have to make a decision on whether to drop him. Boselli is a newbie for Wigan and may take a while to settle in and see how he fits with Rodallega. Bellamy is a pick that can go two ways. If he stays at Manchester City, not likely to get as much playing time unless others get injured. This works more if he gets traded to somewhere he’s a sure starter. May lose value while this is getting sorted out. My “B” grade will be terribly undervalued if Bellamy gets traded to a good team where he starts and if Torres stays healthy and Liverpool get off to a hot start.
2. Glorydaze
Has a permanent Captain in Rooney. This alone should help Glorydaze avoid the relegation spots.
GK: “A-“ – Two above average keepers in Schwarzer and Green. Good depth.
Def: “B” – Evra anchors the back and has a supporting cast of steady partners who get about 10+ bonus points per year, with the exception of Carr. Outside of Evra and Heitinga, the other three are candidates for replacement to the hot defenders that emerge early this season.
Mid: “C+” – Ashley Young is his only player who’s scored over 120 points. The other three veteran mids are serviceable, but candidates for early replacement. Can’t opine on West Brom’s Dorrans. This could be good research, but I fear, even if he’s a player, he’ll be limited by being on a likely relegation team.
Fwd: “A-“ – Rooney merits an A just by himself, but Paul also has grabbed the reliable and bonus magnet Bolton forward, Davis, and the serviceable Carew. Of the three, Carew is a likely candidate for offloading for an upgrade to some hot striker that emerges this season.
3. Aviators
Season may rest on whether or not Fabregas stays at Arsenal and stays healthy. Hal’s record of ever-present in Small Rocks could be in jeopardy if Fabregas leaves for Barcelona.
GK: “A+” – Reina and Cech (even though slightly injured) – enough said! Taking 2 of the top 4 GKs is both an offensive and defensive move. Now we’ll see how well I manage their playing time and whether I pick the right one based on the schedule. I might even get some unsolicited offers to relinquish one of these GKs.
Def: “A-“ – Anchored by the rock Dunne and his team leading bonus magnet track record and two others who’ve scored over 130, and Shawcross, another bonus magnet. The minus is due to the unknown of how fast the Paraguayan and World Cup International Alcaraz adapts to the EPL and how well Wigan plays defense. If it doesn’t work out, look for a swap by mid-Sep to some cheap, but hot defender that emerges.
Mid: “A- (with Cesc); B- (without Cesc)” – Huge gamble on Cesc staying with Arsenal. All these news stories about possible movement to Barcelona are making me nervous. I have high expectations that Adam Johnson will be one of the top mid scorers this season after he came in and destroyed defenders with his pace and demonstrated very accurate crossing abilities after joining mid-season last year from Middlesbrough. Etherington is a steady 140 + scorer. Silva is a bit of a crap shoot. But he sure looked good at the World Cup and if he cracks the MC starting line-up, he’ll be a great value. If not, he’ll be a candidate for early release by mid-September. Giggs is a great value pick who scores well with only limited playing time. He’s also a candidate for release if a better and higher playing opportunity comes along.
Fwd: “B” - Good, serviceables forwards with great value for the money. Doyle is the leading bonus magnet for the Wolves and C. Cole, if he stays healthy, could revert to his previous above average form. Robbie Keane is simply great value. He’s a 10.0 player masquerading as a 5.5 striker. If Keane gets transferred to be a starter with another EPL team, this will be a great pick and way to increase squad value for the January transfer window. All three of these forwards are candidates for early release as some hot surprise forwards emerge on the scene.
(I acknowledge that my ratings of my team may be biased. My son has said of my prior draft rating posts that I overrate my own draft.)
4. LSG NW3
The big question is can Malouda be the permanent Captain that carries a squad. If not, Jonathan may have Van Persie to pitch in. In both cases, the expected captaincy points, relative to the other teams, may have LSG NW3 conceding greater captain’s points to their competition and have to make up for it with the overall team performance.
GK: “A” – Friedel and Sorensen are two good, steady goalkeepers who both can be expected to score above 140 points.
Def: “C” - Vidic is the anchor. Jagielka is good value if he stays healthy. Boswinga is starting off injured and may not earn a regular starting spot. None of the defenders are large bonus magnets and Jonathan has the two cheap defenders: Dann and Coleman who are candidates for early release and replacement with emerging hot, cheap defenders.
Mid: “B” – Malouda has a lot resting on his shoulders. He gets respectable bonus points for being on the team with the bonus magnets Lampard and Drogba. Cahill is likely a great pick. How is his neck after being injured in the World Cup? Walcott has yet to establish himself as a regular or even a sure sub. Bolton’s Taylor is a good steady pick and Bennie McCarthy could be a steal if he stays healthy. These mids have 3 who have scored 120 or more points per season.
Fwd: “A-“ – Van Persie, Berbatov, and Zamora: RVP can be a great pick and even a captain choice if he stays healthy. Berbatov is a little like Keane – he’s a former Round 1 pick who needs more playing time. He scored 130 points last year with just limited playing time. Zamora is very steady. The rating reflects the importance Jonathan put on his forward line by grabbing all three in his top 8 picks.
5. FC Springfield
Good captain choices with Drogba and Arshavin.
GK: “B-“ – Good first choice with Howard, but weak depth with West Brom’s Carson.
Def: “C” – Carragher is getting slow and Ivanovic will be challenged for playing time once Alex gets healthy. Their supporting cast is the average Figueroa (< 100 pts) and two newbies, Kolorav (better pedigree) and Pablo a 4.0 West Brom defender that I surmise was just based on what he could afford.
Mid: “B+” – I really like Arshavin and the steady, bonus magnet triumvirate of Arshavin, Modric (needs to stay healthy), and Nani. Nolan and Lee are likely candidates for early release and replacement by emerging hot midfielders.
Fwd: “A” - Captain Drogba and Anelka are both high scoring and bonus magnets. Fuller is good value at 5.0 and a bonus magnet on his team.
6. In Off The Post
Can Arteta and Essien stay healthy? If so, Paul could be a contender.
GK: “B” – VDS makes this a B, but the depth is questionable with Newcastle’s Harper.
Def: “C+” – Ashley Cole scored > 135 points but has a supporting cast of veteran players who don’t collectively average 100 per season. These casts of defenders are not bonus points magnets.
Mid: “A” – Arteta was a great and early surprise pick that messed up lots of the draft plans of others (including yours truly). If he and Essien stay healthy, they are both bonus magnets and Essien scores well for a D-mid. Their supporting cast of Kuyt, Duff, and Bowyer all score above 120. This rating reflects the emphasis Andre made by completing his midfield draft by Round 9.
Fwd: “A” – Defoe and Agbonlahor both averaged almost 150 points per year last season. Saha scored 123 and could be the steal of the draft for a 12th round pick. I know that I and others were drooling to snatch up Saha when Paul wisely swooped for him. All three of these forwards are bonus magnets.
7. Vegas Virgins
Craig made a very good draft for starting 7th. With his demonstrated squad tweaking skills, expect Vegas to compete for the title.
GK: “B-” – BW’s Jaaskelainen is an above average keeper who had an off year last year, dropping to 116 from 140 the year prior. Depth is questionable with Wigan’s Al-Habsi. Will the World Cup International replace Kirkland as the No. 1?
DEF: “B+” – Terry and Baines are stalwarts, on good teams, and are bonus magnets. This might be Evans’ breakout year if he can lock in a starting spot. Cahill needs to stay healthy, but he is a clear aerial threat on corners and free kicks and is a bonus magnet. Mouyokolo, knowing Craig, is probably well researched and not just a cheap filler.
Mid: “A-“ – Gerard and Milner are two great anchors, but it remains to be seen how much playing time Milner will get with Manchester City, assuming the trade rumors are correct, and how quickly he’ll setting in with his teammates. Lennon has great pace and started to have a breakout season last year. Ferguson is steady and a bonus magnet on his team. I like the Wilshire pick and hope that Wenger will give the kid some early playing time and a shot at making 1st 11, but I doubt it will happen. Regardless, a good gamble and someone who has much more upside and might even rapidly gain some value before Craig might have to replace him.
Fwd: “A” - Adebayor (assuming he stays in the Premiership) and Rodallega scored well last year and Rodallega is a great value for a 150 point scorer. Chamakh has a good rep. If he fits in well with Wenger’s style, this could be one of the best new arrivals in the EPL this season.
8. Rockville Gunners
I’m very impressed with the team Chuck drafted for drafting in the 8th position. He, too, should be competing for the Small Rocks championship this season. Is his Captain Bent, Tevez, or Valencia?
GK: “B+” – Gomes is quality and on a good team while Foster has previously shown promise and should impress if he earns the #1 for Birmingham. He still has to beat out M. Taylor.
Def: “B+” – Cuellar and Glen Johnson anchor the defense with support from the steady Hughes, Sagna, and Samba. The supporting cast can be counted on for about 100 points per season and about 10 bonus points each per season.
Mid: “A-“ – Valencia and Dempsey are solid and Pienaar and Kranjcar are steady and will score lots of assists on their crosses. All of these four attract bonus points. Can they stay healthy is one question, and the other is Blackpool’s Adam, is he the product of great research or just a place holder?
Fwd: “A+” – How can someone who drafts 8th get both Bent and Tevez? The rest of us must have been asleep at the switch. Then to add Jerome, who scored 123 points last season and is also a bonus magnet and great value at 6.0 in Round 13 was awesome.
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