Scout Scribbles – Sanchez Sees Gunners Through

Alexis Sanchez fires Arsenal into the Champions League knockout stages as Olivier Giroud is ruled out for up to four months. Reports are growing that Diego Costa has suffered a hamstring injury during training for Chelsea. Garry Monk considers a front two for Swansea, Jon Walters bags a brace as Stoke advance in the Capital One Cup, while Adam Johnson and Connor Wickham find the net as Sunderland ease past Birmingham.

SANCHEZ OPENS ACCOUNT AS GUNNERS ADVANCE
Alexis Sanchez’s first goal for the club sent Arsenal through to the Champions League group stage after earning a tight 1-0 victory over Turkish side Besiktas. Arsene Wenger made three changes to the side that drew with Everton last weekend, with Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Flamini and Santi Cazorla all being introduced to the side, as right back Mathieu Debuchy saw red with 15 minutes left on the clock to make things tough for the Gunners in the final stages. Sanchez was fielded up front for the second match in succession following yesterday’s confirmation that Olivier Giroud will remain out of action for four months with a broken tibia, and post-match Wenger talked up the Chilean’s qualities through the middle:

“He can play there (as a striker) his whole life. I bought him to play as a striker, not to play only on the flanks. He had a good game, not only on the technical side but on the fighting side. He was mobile, dangerous and has shown as well he has great fighting spirit, qualities that will be very important in the Premier League.”

The Scout Says: With the extent of Giroud‘s absence now confirmed, cue a mass exodus for the Frenchman’s 15.3% ownership and a few regrets beginning to creep in for those managers who have chosen to downgrade from Sanchez to Aaron Ramsey this week. True, the Welshman will be fully refreshed for this weekend’s trip to Leicester, but Sanchez’s prospects now look better than ever with the forward role seemingly his to lose and last night’s goal set to give him some momentum going into Sunday’s encounter. Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo were unused substitutes against Besiktas, though both do offer alternatives to Sanchez if he flops in the same fashion as last weekend. Joining the pair on the bench for the first time this season last night was Callum Chambers, and should the 4.5 priced centre back face the same fate again at the weekend, sales will surely follow.

COSTA INJURY REPORTS GROW
Reports suggest that Chelsea striker Diego Costa has suffered a hamstring injury in training and is facing four to six weeks on the sidelines for his new side. The story broke late last night but is now gathering pace, through the Blues have yet to comment on the speculation.

The Scout Says: Whilst said reports remain unconfirmed, Costa’s 43.2% ownership underlines just how significant any potential absence would be. Snapped up by 93,000 managers already this Gameweek, a stint on the sidelines would have a major effect on the Fantasy games as frontlines are quickly restructured. If the reports do indeed hold true, Jose Mourinho will have to rely on one of either Fernando Torres or Didier Drogba to fill in for Costa, perhaps affording us a cut-price route into Chelsea’s attack for the short term, though it will remain to be seen whether either are capable of providing adequate cover for Costa after the new signing scored in each of his first two appearances for his new side. With City ready to host Stoke this weekend and Liverpool set for a very kind run from Gameweek 4, many will be already making plans to ship out the summer signing as Sergio Aguero and Daniel Sturridge begin to look increasingly tempting.

JOHNSON AND WICKHAM IN THE GOALS FOR SUNDERLAND
Adam Johnson, Connor Wickham and debutant Jordi Gomez all notched as Sunderland eased past Birmingham City 3-0 in the second round of the Capital One Cup last night. Emmanuel Giaccherini made his return from injury and provided an assist off the bench for the Black Cats, whilst Jozy Altidore made his first start of the season and played the full 90 minutes.

The Scout Says: Of particular interest to Fantasy managers from last night’s victory for the Black Cats will be the late goals from Johnson and Wickham, with both players advertising their talents ahead of a strong run of fixtures for Gus Poyet’s side (qpr, TOT, bur, SWA, STO, sot). Having missed his side’s 1-1 draw with Man United last weekend due to illness, Johnson has already been sold on by over 34,000 managers this Gameweek, but his performance last night could bring him back into the reckoning for a starting role against QPR this Saturday in place of Will Buckley. Wickham’s first goal of the season, meanwhile, suggests the 6.0-priced youngster could prove a cannier option than fellow striker Steven Fletcher for those aforementioned fixtures, though the latter is due to continue in the lone forward role with Wickham fielded on the left flank at the weekend.

WALTERS BAGS A BRACE
Bojan Krkic failed to recover from a knock in time for his side’s 3-0 Capital One Cup victory over Birmingham, leaving Jonathon Walters and Peter Crouch with the opportunity to show off their credentials for Mark Hughes’ side. Walters notched goals in both halves before supplying the assist for Crouch’s late strike for the Potters, whilst Victor Moses offered an assist on his debut and Robert Huth made his first start to the season after recovering from a knee problem.

The Scout Says: Having already suffered a price drop this week, and still a doubt for Stoke’s weekend trip to Man City, Bojan is beginning to quickly lose his appeal after a promising pre-season. Managers hovering over the transfer button should be wary, however, as Hughes’ men set off on a strong run of fixtures after this weekend’s trip to the Etihad is out of the way (LEI, qpr, NEW, sun, SWA) and the little Spaniard could well turn things around in that period. On the other hand, following last night’s display, Walters will undoubtedly be pushing for starts now in the league, and Fantasy Football’s least fashionable pick may possibly emerge as a viable budget midfield alternative in the coming weeks if the 5.4-priced Irishman can reclaim the role in “the hole” for the Potters, with Stephen Ireland sidelined through injury. At the back, meanwhile, the return of Huth could put the starting berth of Marc Wilson under threat, ridding us of a 4.5 route into Stoke’s backline for those favourable fixtures.

MONK CONSIDERS A FRONT TWO
Swansea manager Garry Monk has underlined his intention to partner strikers Bafetimbi Gomis and Wilfried Bony up top for his side on occasion, suggesting the two won’t always go head-to-head for a starting role for the Swans:

“Obviously we want them all to push each other and every striker will want to be top scorer, but it’s about them working together which they’ve done very well in pre-season and been great with each other on the training field. Through the season we’ll see different things: they’ll play as lone strikers, they’ll play as a pair, use them in different ways.”

The Scout Says: Until now, Monk had seem pretty set in his ways of fielding a lone striker, and whilst this still appears to be his go-to formation, it would seem that his two forwards may be afforded opportunities to show off their talents alongside each other every once in a while. This scenario, when it should finally take place, will be a real concern to owners of Gylfi Sigurdsson, as the Icelandic international will likely move from his central support spot to out on the flank, perhaps diminishing his potential to repeat the form that has seen him produce a goal and two assists already this season.