Fans will be glad to have the Premier League back, but I am hoping it is going to be a much more productive week for my Fantasy Football team than the last couple of weeks have been. Missing out on my Captain has hurt, but I will get into that further down this thread.
This round of Premier League games will be played from Saturday through to Monday before the Match Day 3 fixtures of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League are played during the week. The deadline for the Fantasy Premier League game will be Saturday this week, but it will be a Friday night deadline in GameWeek 9.
It hasn't been six months since we heard from broadcasters and the Premier League about how their opposition to the European Super League was all about backing the fans and making sure they did not lose their game.
Anyone with a semblance of reality would not have taken that at face value, but if you didn't, the actions from the League and their broadcast partners have made it clear how little they truly care about match going fans. The product was going to be harmed by the Super League and that would have impacted the money the League have been earning and it is clear that remains the main motivation factor for all involved.
The fans were missed in a season where the Premier League was largely played behind closed doors, but for the second time in four months the fixture announcement date has been missed. At the time of writing the December and January fixture list, which was supposed to be announced on Monday has still not been handed out to fans who will need to make travel arrangements at a traditionally very busy time of the year.
To miss the deadline by a day or two is forgivable to some extent, but it has been almost a week since the date they are supposed to let us all know when games are going to be played. The broadcasters and the League should be absolutely ashamed of themselves and the lack of respect for fans truly does grate on me.
But of course, the Super League is the evil and the Premier League are there for the fans right?
Watford v Liverpool Pick: The October international break is behind us and there are now four rounds of Premier League fixtures to be played before the November internationals.
The opening Premier League game of this weekend sees Watford take on Liverpool.
Unsurprisingly Watford have become the first Premier League club to part with their manager as Xisco Munoz has been replaced by Claudio Ranieri. This feels like a risky move from Watford after the way Ranieri's time with Leicester City ended and the veteran manager will be under pressure to deliver despite a really tough stretch of fixtures to come.
Watford's owners have shown they have little time for patience so Claudio Ranieri could go into the November internationals feeling nervous if his team have not produced results against Liverpool, Everton, Southampton and Arsenal who have to be played before that two week break.
The opening fixture looks the most difficult for a Watford team that have been struggling at both ends of the field. They were fortunate to avoid a third straight defeat at Vicarage Road when fighting back for a point against Newcastle United, but it will be very difficult to contain a Liverpool team that have been scoring goals for fun away from home.
Diogo Jota would be a miss for the visitors, but Roberto Firmino has been training back in Liverpool and is a ready-made replacement.
They are unlikely to miss a beat and Liverpool have scored at least three times in all 5 away games played this season in all competitions. Liverpool have scored at least twice in 8 away games in succession and it is going to be a big ask for Watford to keep their visitors at bay in this one.
Two seasons ago Watford did beat Liverpool 3-0 here and ended the latter's unbeaten start to the Premier League season. Fans will be hoping for a repeat of that situation, but I am not sure Claudio Ranieri will be able to work with the first team for as long as he would like to earn a result in this one.
The first goal will be huge, but if Liverpool are able to score that, I can see them being far too strong for Watford and having too many goals within their squad to avoid any upset.
Watford may be looking to impress their new manager, but the defensive performances of the last couple of games before the international break have to be concerning. Their opponents should be able to expose any uncertainty at the back and I expect Liverpool put a strong win on the board before a big week in which they visit La Liga Champions Atletico Madrid ahead of a trip to Old Trafford.
Aston Villa v Wolves Pick: This is a big derby game in the Midlands as Aston Villa host Wolves with both teams showing improved form and results between the September and October international breaks.
The momentum may have been lost through the break, but both managers won't be looking for excuses ahead of this fixture. Aston Villa may be without a couple of key players that would have been involved in the South American World Cup Qualifiers that were completed on Thursday, but this is something beyond their control.
There is still enough quality in the squad to believe they can win this game, but it will be a tough task for Aston Villa. Good performances at Old Trafford and the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be encouraging, but Aston Villa have struggled to create big chances at home in the League this season.
It might be surprising to read that considering they have scored 6 goals at Villa Park in three Premier League games, but Aston Villa will want to be a little more consistent in the kind of chances they are creating. Doing that against Wolves will not be easy considering the defensive performances the visitors have produced in the top flight.
Bruno Lage has been struggling to find the balance between attack and defence though and 3 wins from 4 Premier League games have come behind solid defensive performances at the expense of the attacking displays we saw in August. The new manager will still believe he has work to do to really get this Wolves playing in the way he wants, but they don't give up many chances and remain tough to beat.
Recent games between Aston Villa and Wolves have been very competitive and there has not been a lot between them. They shared a single goal in the two Premier League games played last season, while at least one of the teams have failed to score in each of the last 3 between the local(ish) rivals.
An early goal could change the entire complexion of the game, but I do think both Aston Villa and Wolves have shown enough defensively to believe a single goal may be enough to win this. Aston Villa have only conceded once at home and Wolves have only conceded once on their travels in the top flight this season and the feeling is that one of these teams will fail to hit the back of the net on Saturday.
Picking a winner is not that easy, but I will look for this one to be very tight and very competitive until the end and goals may not be on the agenda as the layers tend to believe.
Leicester City v Manchester United Pick: Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are not likely to be on any hot seat as managers of Leicester City and Manchester United respectively, but the next month could see things change if results do not go the way they would like.
There is some pressure on both to earn better results and so this fixture out of the international break has plenty riding on it.
Some Manchester United fans may feel it is harsh to question the manager- the team are only 2 points behind leaders Chelsea after all!
However, you have to take an honest look at the results and say Manchester United earning 14 points from a possible 21 is an underachievement. They have only played one team that is currently higher than 9th in the Premier League table and Manchester United have been struggling to create chances and score goals in recent games which has to be a real worry.
Huge games are coming up with a double header against Atalanta in the Champions League to come before the November international break. Around that, Manchester United have the likes of Leicester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City to come in the Premier League too and a run of negative results will have more questions for the manager.
Brendan Rodgers should have more time considering his successes with Leicester City, but he is also going to know that his team has underachieved to this point. The fixtures coming up look kinder than those faced by Manchester United, but Leicester City have been struggling defensively and you do have to wonder if they are going to be vulnerable to the Manchester United counter attack.
Getting on the front foot may still be most appealing for Leicester City who could be facing an opponent missing their two first choice centre halves. Raphael Varane is almost certainly out, while Harry Maguire is a big doubt, and Manchester United have looked vulnerable when teams come at them with the speed that Leicester City are likely to employ too.
All 3 games between these teams last season finished with at least three goals shared out and it is hard to believe either of these will be able to contain the other. My lean is that Manchester United will find a way to earn a big result to just get them back on track, but Leicester City are likely to play their part too and I would not be surprised if there are at least three goals shared out again.
Manchester City v Burnley Pick: A goalless draw with Southampton was the outcome of the last Manchester City Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium, but it would be a huge surprise if they drop more points on Saturday.
A team that is creating plenty of chances should be motivated to return to Premier League action with a big win after showing resiliency to come away from Anfield with a 2-2 draw two weeks ago. Under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have regularly taken teams to the sword at the Etihad Stadium and Manchester City have scored at least five goals in 5 of their last 6 here in all competitions.
Usually you would say that is unsustainable, but Burnley fans will be the first to point out that Manchester City are capable of doing that on a regular basis.
You couldn't blame them for thinking that way as Burnley look to avoid a 5th consecutive 5-0 defeat in this Stadium- Burnley fans may be worried when noting that the two Manchester City home wins in the Premier League have both been 5-0 wins too.
Burnley have not made the best start to the season, but they are unbeaten in their last couple of Premier League games. However, they are struggling for balance and this has routinely been a very difficult opponent for them to face.
Any point will be a bonus, but you can't ignore how often Burnley have ended up being blown away by Manchester City. Considering that history and the big wins and host of goals Manchester City are scoring, you have to believe the home team will record another comfortable win over this opponent.
Norwich City v Brighton Pick: For much of last season, Brighton were underachieving in terms of the kind of points they could have earned if finishing off their top performances with the results they deserved. This season they are flying, but the feeling is that Brighton have perhaps been a little more fortunate at times and they look plenty short to win here.
A late goal saw them beat Brentford in West London, while they came from behind to beat Burnley at Turf Moor, but the underlying numbers suggest Brighton were fortunate to do so in both cases. Add in the late, late goal to salvage a draw with Crystal Palace and you do have to wonder if the price for an away win would have been much higher if Brighton had 2 points from a possible 9 away from home rather than 7.
In saying all that, Norwich City are about as poor a team that we have seen in the Premier League on their early performances. They don't score enough goals and they concede far too many which suggests it is going to be another season in which the fans have to suffer before returning to the Championship.
A point at Burnley two weeks ago will have raised hopes, but Norwich City have lost 8 home Premier League games in a row and they are a team that needs to score the first goal to build some confidence. To be fair to Daniel Farke, Norwich City have had three tough home games this season and they have played pretty well at times, but been undone by defensive mistakes.
Brighton are capable of exposing those mistakes themselves, but this is a team that can struggle for goals at times and I still feel that is going to hold them back. They can create chances, but Brighton have also given up some big opportunities away from home which may offer Norwich City some encouragement and potentially see them earn another positive result.
There is plenty to like about Brighton and they are more than capable of winning here, but they are short and you do have to feel that one Norwich City goal would be enough to earn a result. They have shown enough creativity at home to think they can do that and it might be a rare time to back Norwich City to at least avoid a defeat, although there are likely going to be some dicey moments throughout the ninety minutes before getting to that outcome.
Southampton v Leeds United Pick: There are always going to be stretches when the fixture list looks tough to manage, but the key for teams is to make sure they get themselves through those matches and then be ready to pick up points when the games being played are more manageable.
Both Southampton and Leeds United will feel they have had some difficult fixtures early in the 2021/22 season, but it is the latter who have gotten off the winless mark. An important victory over Watford two weeks ago could give Leeds United a spark and I do think they can make a serious move up the League table over the next month.
Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping that Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford are soon going to be available, but Leeds United could be without Raphinha this weekend which is a blow.
Even then, they may be heading to the south coast to face Southampton at the right time even if Ralph Hasenhuttl's men are playing much better than their 17th place position may suggest. However, James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams could both be missing for the home team and that is serious impact on Southampton's ability to get the better of a Leeds United team that can create plenty of chances.
There are questions for Leeds United to answer defensively, but I am not sure Southampton will ask them in the manner they would have done with those two players in the line up. Southampton have been lacking a little consistency in the final third in recent games and I do think this Leeds United team will play with a forward thinking approach that produced rewards in their wins over Southampton last season.
Goals always change games and the first one is going to be very important in this one, but Leeds United have shown enough in the final third to think they can build on the win over Watford. The fans will hope their attacking players can return soon, but this is a team with decent depth in forward areas and I think Leeds United can be backed on the Asian Handicap as the unexpected underdog.
Brentford v Chelsea Pick: One West London derby is being played earlier in the day in the Championship, but the main focus in this part of the country will be on Brentford's Premier League fixture hosting European Champions Chelsea.
There is plenty to like about the approach Brentford have taken to their first season the top flight since the late 1940s and they are well on their way to securing another Premier League season. Wins over West Ham United and Wolves and the epic draw with Liverpool shows that Brentford are more than capable of competing at this level and they will be particularly encouraged by the improvement in the final third.
Personally I was concerned by the lack of chances and thus the lack of goals being scored by Brentford, but they have looked much better in the last month. They fully deserved their results in their last 3 Premier League games and Brentford scoring 7 goals in that time will only make the entire squad feel very confident about their ability.
This is a big test for Brentford and I have no doubt that they will appreciate that, but I do think a lot of the key players have been home preparing for this fixture. It is a direct contrast to Chelsea who have had a number of players away for international duty and travel and injury can be picked up.
Romelu Lukaku's muscle issue has to be a concern for Chelsea fans considering he missed Belgium's second Nations League fixture, while Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger could both be missing too. It would leave Chelsea perhaps a little exposed, but I don't think Thomas Tuchel will approach this game in the same way as Liverpool and so I do think it will be more difficult for Brentford to break them down.
However, Brentford can be competitive as they will not offer up a lot of spaces of their own and they have been pretty good defensively this season. Liverpool exposed some of the vulnerabilities, but that is a team that have been attacking every team they have played with considerable success and Chelsea are not going to be as comfortable taking the risks that Jurgen Klopp's men did.
The performances prior to the October international break will be really encouraging for Brentford and it is a level that will give Chelsea some problems. Chelsea will also feel they are playing well enough to win here and I think this is going to be a fascinating fixture.
Brentford look a little under-rated and I would be surprised if Chelsea are able to blow past them. The Bees will be very difficult to beat in front of their own fans and I do think the full goal start on the Asian Handicap is hard to ignore for a team that has picked up 7 points from a possible 9 in the Premier League.
I have to respect the performance levels of this Chelsea team, but they have been a little inconsistent in the final third as they are still looking to find the right balance with Romelu Lukaku leading the line. With that in mind, Chelsea may not score the goals to cover and Brentford could have every chance of earning a positive result to keep the fans believing in a special season developing.
Everton v West Ham United Pick: After a hugely successful time with Everton, David Moyes is going to be afforded plenty of respect by the home fans when bringing his West Ham United team to town.
This is a big game for two clubs that will feel they can push into the top six and overtake the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in joining the top clubs in the Premier League. West Ham United showed that is possible with a strong 2020/21 season, while Everton have made a really good start under Rafael Benitez and have some key players returning shortly.
Even with injury issues, Everton have been picking up important points and a win on Sunday would set them up for a good run before the November international break. The fixture list looks pretty kind for Rafael Benitez and his players, but they can't afford to overlook a West Ham United team who are unbeaten in 8 away games.
The Hammers have a healthy team and they have won 6 of those 8 games on their travels with an attacking approach reaping plenty of rewards. They should challenge Everton, but the home team have been producing strong results at Goodison Park the season after the form here let them down.
Everton have been scoring goals for fun at home, but they have not always convinced at the back and the feeling is that these two teams are going to provide fireworks. Both Premier League games were tightly contested affairs last season, but Everton and West Ham United have started off brightly and the attacking threat of both starting elevens should see more goals shared out here.
The match could get bogged down into a tactical battle if we don't see an early spark, but the form of both of these teams suggest they will want to get on the front foot as early as possible. That should produce an entertaining game where at least three goals are scored on the day.
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: There is going to be a party atmosphere at St James' Park on Sunday as the fans will be able to attend a fixture for the first time since the Saudi-backed takeover has been completed.
Of course there are moral questions about this takeover, but fans of the club are just glad to see the back of Mike Ashley. It doesn't hurt that Newcastle United will soon be challenging for silverware, but there are going to be plenty of changes in the coming years at the club.
The first of those is expected to be confirmed before kick off- Steve Bruce is not the fan's favourite and the new board will want to appoint a manager of their own choosing and most are expecting Bruce to be Sacked before this fixture is played.
The excitement of what is to come should inspire the home team who will be well backed by the fans. Injuries are clearing up at the right time and Newcastle United can take advantage of an inconsistent Tottenham Hotspur team that have been struggling at both ends of the field.
A 2-1 win over Aston Villa will have been very welcomed by the Tottenham Hotspur management team and the fans, but Nuno Espirito Santo knows this is still a work in progress. The victory came at home, but Spurs have been more vulnerable on their travels and have conceded at least twice in 4 away games in succession.
Back to back away Premier League losses will not help the confidence and I do think Newcastle United can avoid defeat. In recent games they have had the better of opponents and been unfortunate not to have more points on the board, while Newcastle United have drawn their last 2 games here which is the least I would expect out of this game.
Tottenham Hotspur have been giving up some big chances and I think the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and a potentially returning Callum Wilson can expose those issues. The Magpies don't have the best recent record at home against Spurs, but I think the momentum of the takeover helps the squad push forward for a positive result in this Sunday afternoon kick off.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: The final game in the Premier League this weekend will be played on Monday Night Football as Arsenal host the London derby against Crystal Palace.
The headlines will be all about Patrick Vieira managing against the team he Captained for so long in the peak of the Arsene Wenger era.
It will be difficult to speak about much else for those reporting on the game, but Patrick Vieira will be looking for his Crystal Palace team to build on some positive performances before the October international break. Heavy losses at Chelsea and Liverpool won't be overly concerning, especially as Crystal Palace have posed plenty of problems for the likes of West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
Those three clubs are of a similar stature to Arsenal, although some could easily argue that two of those are better than this current edition of The Gunners. Mikel Arteta will be pleased with some of the Arsenal results between the September and October internationals, but they have not always convinced and I do think they are a vulnerable favourite.
Arsenal did blow away Tottenham Hotspur, but Norwich City were only beaten 1-0 here and both Burnley and Brighton will feel they deserved a lot more than they got against this opponent.
The Eagles will be able to use their pace in the final third to try and counter their hosts and they showed against West Ham United how dangerous they can be. The underlying numbers of recent games have suggested that Crystal Palace have been unfortunate not to have more points and I do think they can cause plenty of problems for Arsenal.
Add in the fact that Crystal Palace are unbeaten in 3 visits to the Emirates Stadium and I would be a little surprised if Arsenal are able to blow past them. Backing The Eagles with the start looks the play here and I think Crystal Palace may upset a few with a surprise result.
MY PICKS: Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap
Aston Villa-Wolves Both Teams to Score- NO
Leicester City-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals
Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap
Norwich City + 0.5 Asian Handicap
Leeds United 0 Asian Handicap
Brentford + 1 Asian Handicap
Everton-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals
Newcastle United + 0.5 Asian Handicap
Crystal Palace + 1 Asian Handicap
Fantasy Football GameWeek 8
I am pretty ashamed of my Fantasy Premier League team.
39 points in GameWeek 6 looked like being a low water mark, but apparently that is not the case. In GameWeek 7 I managed to go one worse with 38 points secured and my Captain beginning on the bench and earning a single point underlined the horrible couple of weeks I have had.
I think many had a difficult GW7 with the top names failing to fire outside of Mohamed Salah, but the last couple of weeks have been incredibly frustrating and I have to say I have enjoyed the international break just to have a reset from the game.
Well I would have enjoyed it, but injury and international games being scheduled as late as Thursday before this GW8 means there are plenty of doubts about the kind of team I am going to be able to field.
Antonio Rudiger has been ruled out, but that will mean Andreas Christensen is able to come in. Raphinha played and scored twice for Brazil on Thursday, but an overnight flight back to the United Kingdom means he is a big doubt to play for Leeds United at Southampton and his absence would mean Conor Gallagher will be in my starting eleven if the Brazilian is not able to go.
I have only recently brought in both of those players with the knowledge that they have a good looking fixture list coming up, but the best laid plans can go wrong. I wouldn't panic about the availability of either of those two players going forward just yet, but it would be a touch frustrating if both Rudiger and Raphinha are missing this weekend.
Has any of this changed my mind about how I am going to handle my team in GW8? No, not really.
After Cristiano Ronaldo was surprisingly dropped to the bench by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (a move that still baffles me two weeks later), I think a decision was made that I would be looking to use that premium asset money elsewhere. However, I do think Ronaldo has a good looking game this weekend and I am looking for the superstar to remind the manager how important he is going to be for Manchester United with a big performance.
However, that decision by Solskjaer means the money I had set aside to have Romelu Lukaku playing alongside Ronaldo in my Fantasy team is no longer my priority. Instead I am going to look to strengthen another one of my defensive options and the team I am targeting is one of United's main rivals.
Manchester City.
Once again this is a team that looks like they are going to be very hard to break down and the matches between now and the November international break look difficult to ignore. Ruben Dias is perhaps the strongest player to target with little rotation risk, but I think Joao Cancelo has made a hugely positive start for the team and he looks like he might be worth the extra rotation risk with the kind of returns he can offer.
Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte are a bit cheaper than Cancelo and Dias, and I do think both will be playing more often than not too, but it is the Portuguese full back that appeals the most.
A home game with Burnley could see Joao Cancelo bring in a really big return (if he starts) and I think he is worth the investment. Manchester City have shown they can bring in clean sheets against any team they face and I think it is the right player to target for my team.
Going without Lukaku this week is not going to be easy, especially if Brentford defend as they did against Liverpool, but I am fairly happy with the way the squad is set up for not only GW8, but for the remainder of the month.
I have yet to take a hit and I would like to get through this month without doing so, but I need to have a much better week than the last two GWs to avoid feeling the pressure to make multiple changes.
The Captaincy will be given to a player in the 12:30pm kick off, a policy that has backfired in the last couple of weeks. It is something that players of the game like to avoid doing with the 12:30pm proving to be a letdown spot more often than not, but Mohamed Salah is in great form and his previous record against Watford just makes it easy to back the Liverpool forward in GW8.
I will have a screenshot of my team on Twitter just after the deadline tomorrow, but most of the decisions look pretty easy. The plan for the remainder of the month is also one that I feel comfortable with, but the issue is always out of our hands and it is never a good thing to be set in stone with moves that you want to make.
You have to remain fluid at all times, but I am also hoping that my expectations for certain players will be reached this week having seen many underperform over the last two GameWeeks.
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