Weather permitting it’s Gameweek 18, this roller coaster Premier League season is about to enter its crucial Christmas period. Three points going into the festivities will be a priority for all managers this weekend.

Sam Allardyce can put is feet up on Saturday and watch the club that unceremoniously sacked him take on his potential new employers. Rovers Phil Jones(4.5) is an apparent January transfer target for several clubs, the defender has picked up 48 points so far this season and could be a shrewd acquisition if the rumours bear fruit. Blackburn’s performer of the season so far is the ever consistent Morten Gamst Pedersen(5.9), a 75 point haul this season puts him 12^th overall in the midfield rankings.

Avram Grants tenure at Upton Park is hanging by a thread. He could be trading places with Big Sam come the New Year unless the Hammers can perform a dramatic turnaround. Were it not for the Influence of Scott Parker(5.4) you feel that Grant’s and quite possibly West Ham’s fate would already have been sealed. With Parker again the centre of transfer speculation it could be wise to add the playmaker to your ranks. Goals win Football matches, Frederic Piquionne(4.9) and Victor Obinna(5.5) have excited occasionally and Allardyce could be warming himself by the fire for a bit longer if the pair hit form over the festivities.

It’s time for another West Midlands derby on Sunday as West Brom entertain Wolves. The key to the Baggies success so far this season has been in the engine room. Chris Brunt(5.7) is a massive player for Roberto Di Matteo, if he’s not scoring goals he is creating them. Wide man Jerome Thomas(4.6) is performing well and steady as a rock Paul Scharner(4.5) is a reliable performer who chips in with the odd goal too. Mick McCarthy’s men deserve to be a wee bit higher up the table, if Stephen Hunt(5.3) can recapture the form of his Reading and Hull City days he will play a vital part in Wolves’ survival campaign. Wanderers will also be buoyed by the return of key men Matthew Jarvis(5.3) and Kevin Doyle(5.1).

Gameweek 18 concludes with Everton paying a visit to official title contenders Man City. Reports indicate that Carols Tevez(11.1) will be stripped of his captaincy but will play. There is a bargain to be had at multi-billion pound City, midfielder Yaya Toure is available for a mere 5.3 million. The Ivorian notched 13 points last time out, that’s value for Fantasy League money. Keep an eye on the happenings at Eastlands, a clear out is on the cards. The Fantasy League January sales will start here.

The next round of Premier League fixtures kick off on Boxing Day. I therefore wish you all a very merry and points laden Christmas. May your stocking be overflowing and your Turkey be moist and delicious. Thank you for reading every week and many apologies if you’ve followed any(and there have been plenty!) of my, shall we say, less rewarding suggestions.

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Well this season is just getting harder and harder to predict. Having just absorbed last week’s action Game Week 15 is here and no doubt will throw up plenty more surprises.

The Premier League weekend kicks off Saturday lunchtime at Villa Park. Two wounded team’s line up looking to bounce back from disappointing results. The majority of Villa’s midfield is currently residing in the treatment room. Step forward Barry Bannan and Stephen Ireland, Bannan (4.5) has performed well so far and Ireland (5.9) is eager to get his Aston Villa career up and running. Arsenal are still sitting pretty in third, despite apparently being in crisis, it’s a crisis that 17 other Premier League sides would be delighted to find themselves in. Robin Van Persie (9.5) will be looking to get his season up and running this weekend. Cesc Fabregas will be out for two weeks after picking up a hamstring injury against Braga. But Arsenal still have a wealth of talent to call upon in the absence of their inspirational skipper.

West Ham host Wigan in the basement battle of the weekend. It’s a must win game, both teams will be hoping their match winners will see them through a nervy encounter. Carlton Cole (5.8) has voiced his frustration at the lack of quality balls into the box. Now would be the ideal time to give the Hammers front man the service he craves. Wigan will miss star striker Hugo Rodellega (Suspension) but have the continually impressive Charles N’Zogbia (5.7).

Top of the table Chelsea are struggling too and face a long trip to St James Park this game week. The last time Chelsea lost two league games on the bounce everything was in black and white. They visit a Newcastle side who can’t quite decide whether to score five or concede five every week. My head say’s it all adds up to a dull no score draw But my heart is saying goals so get Andy Carroll (6.1) in your starting XI, John Terry is still absent from the Blues back line and the boy Carroll is guaranteed to give any defence a rough ride.

Sundays late game see’s Tottenham host Liverpool. Spurs cruised past Werder Bremen and into the last 16 of the Champions league Wednesday night. There can be no excuse of tiredness come Sunday, Harry Redknapp’s side had time to stop and feed the ducks on their midweek walk in the park. Jermain Defoe (8.6) is fit again and looks desperate to make up for lost time. If you have the funds available snap him up, he’ll be back in the goals sooner rather than later. Rafael Van Der Vaart (8.5) looks certain to feature after missing out in midweek. Liverpool are starting to turn the corner, but their form on the road is horrendous and they look likely to head home empty handed.

Final mention goes to Johan Elmander (6.3), Kevin Davies (6.5) and Chung-Yong Lee (5.3), I tipped them to be in the points last week and they didn’t disappoint. A home tie against Blackpool this weekend almost guarantees another return from them and hopefully, they will again keep my final shreds of credibility intact for a little while longer.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

It’s the North London derby this weekend. Arsenal, who are fast becoming serious title contenders play Host to Tottenham. The Gunners sit second, 2 points behind Chelsea. Tottenham find themselves seventh after a much needed win against Blackburn last weekend. Three points for either side would see them make significant strides up the Premier league table, so a point a piece it will be at the Emirates.

With the calibre of attacking players available to both sides you get the feeling it won’t be a goalless encounter. Make sure you have North London’s big hitters in your starting line up by Saturday lunchtime. Arsenal have no fresh injury worries as yet, but Tottenham have lost the services of string-puller Tom Huddlestone for a few months.

Elsewhere in the Premier League it’s the battle of the big number nine’s at the Reebok stadium, well it’s technically three number nine’s. Newcastle’s Andy Carroll acquitted himself well on Wednesday night, considering he was half way back to Newcastle by the time England forged any meaningful attack and will be looking to add to the 77 points he’s already picked up this season. Bolton’s Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies continue their fine form, add midfielder Chung-Yong Lee to the mix and you could find yourself in the points. However, the way this season is going a match featuring a trio of the League’s top strikers is bound to finish in a stalemate.

On paper Stokes trip to West Brom doesn’t look the most exciting match up, but this could be the dark horse of the weekend. Stokes flying winger Matthew Etherington and yo-yo midfielder Dean Whitehead are a risky gamble worth taking. Similarly the home side have mister consistent in Chris Brunt (58) and their very own goal machine in Peter Odemwingie (47), both could reward you with a healthy points haul this game week.

Premier League matches have been so hard to predict this season, so I’m not even going to mention Chelsea’s trip to St Andrews or Man Utd taking on Wigan, and as for Liverpool Vs West Ham, well I’m saying nothing. Sunderland’s fantastic performance at the bridge last Sunday summed up the Premier League perfectly, anything can and will happen in a game week. It’s a pundit’s nightmare.

I am however prepared to stick my neck out in regards to Sunday’s matches – Blackburn Vs Aston Villa and Fulham Vs Man City have got 1-1 written all over them. It will be a day where defences will triumph. Fulham’s Brede Hangeland and Villa’s James Collins will sure up any defence and both have weighed in with a few goals this season.

Game week 14 concludes with Everton’s trip to surprise package of game week 13, Sunderland. It goes without saying that Asamoah Gyan is the star man at the stadium of light right now, but his strike partner Darren Bent could return from injury in time for Monday nights clash. Everton themselves have a few potential bargains available, defensive rocks Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin are good value at 5.8 and 5.5 million respectively and young full back Seamus Coleman (4.9 million) is improving every week.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

It’s been a busy week in the Premier League and the fun just doesn’t stop. Game Week 13 is here already and we have another full fixture programme to look forward to.

It’s at the foot of the table where the excitement and the points are to be had this weekend. The bottom three are all at home and these fixtures would have been double underlined in red as winnable at the start of the season.

West Ham play host to the still free scoring Blackpool. Piquionne and Parker did the business Wednesday and will be looking for a repeat performance on Saturday. If recent form is anything to go by it will be a goal fest at Upton Park.
Wolves – who, if points were awarded for pride and guts would be top of the league – entertain an in form Bolton. Mick McCarthy’s men need to shut down not only Kevin Davies but also Johan Elmander. The big Swede has finally worked out the difference between a set of goal posts and the side of a barn, the reward for this realisation is 62 points for the Trotters front man. Wolves will be relying on the likes of Matthew Jarvis (5.3), Stephen Hunt (5.3), Kevin Doyle (5.1) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (5.0) to breach Wanderers stubborn back line. Wolves will edge a narrow victory here.

Wigan are in desperate need of a win, so far their season’s star performers have been Hugo Rodallega (5.8) and Charles N’Zogbia (5.5). Another big performance from this pair is required against West Brom. All things good for the Latic’s seem to come from these two, take a gamble and give them a run out this game week.

Stoke are hovering above the drop zone and Welcome a rejuvenated Liverpool side. Stoke at home are always a difficult prospect. Big Robert Huth is a mountain at the back and a genuine goal threat going forward, a 4.9 million price tag has returned 37 points so far. Striker Ricardo Fuller weighed in with 9 points in the last game week and is available for a mere 4.8 million.

Manchester City will be looking for a positive reaction after a dishwater dull Manchester derby. Chelsea are beginning to pull away at the top and the Eastland’s outfit cannot afford to lose anymore ground. Birmingham could well find themselves on the wrong side of a City backlash. Blues keeper Ben Foster (4.9) could be in for a busy afternoon.

Last special mention this week to Blackburn stopper Paul Robinson – sitting 4^th overall in the goalkeeper table having so far amassed 49 points – is yours to buy for 4.6 million. An absolute bargain if you’re looking to generate some cash to strengthen other areas of your squad.

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Barely have you had chance to draw breath and it’s time to do it all again. There’s a full midweek programme of Premier League fixtures, game week 12 is upon us already, and it’s going to be tricky selection wise as several managers may opt to shuffle their packs.

Tie of the week has to be the Manchester derby. The Blue half of Manchester have Carlos Tevez back and the Reds back line can expect a torrid time at the hands of the annoyingly persistent Argentinean. United may still be picking up points but they are struggling and will be looking for big performances from the experienced Scholes and Fletcher. It would also be a good time for Hernandez and Berbatov to rediscover their earlier form.

Chelsea and Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results. Spurs play host to Sunderland on Tuesday, and the form is with Tottenham, the Black Cats have only won once at the Lane in 26 years. Van Der Vaart is struggling with a hamstring injury, but I think Harry will risk him. Three points here are vital for Spurs’ push for the top four, Redknapp will go all out for victory on Tuesday night so it’s time to give your Tottenham forwards a run out.

I fear Fulham could pay for Liverpool’s victory on Sunday. Chelsea need to bounce back with a win and will simply overpower Fulham at the bridge. Drogba will be all guns blazing after warming the bench at Anfield for a long 45 minutes. This could be the week to rest any Fulham defenders you have in your squad.

Aston Villa’s treatment room is full of strikers right now, which equals opportunity for one young striker and if you feel like taking a gamble then Nathan Delfouneso, who could have had a hat-trick on Saturday, will be looking to make amends at home to Blackpool on Wednesday. It could also be a good time to give two more of Villa’s youngsters a chance, midfielders Marc Albrighton and Barry Bannan are turning heads for all the right reasons and both are available for under 5 million. There are always goals where Blackpool are concerned, honours may well end up even in this one but it will be entertaining.

There are two ties this week which, in all honesty, could go either way. Wolves host Arsenal and Newcastle host Blackburn. Wolves were outstanding in defeat at Old Trafford and have been impressive all season. Arsenal, being Arsenal could stroll this one or make a complete three course meal out of it. I’m going to go for the latter. Robin Van Persie made an appearance on Sunday and I’m backing him to be the difference in what will be a tight encounter.

It would be no surprise if Newcastle followed up a win at the emirates with a defeat at home to Blackburn. Nothing would give big Sam more pleasure than a victory against his former club. Newcastle should win, which is why I’m going to back Blackburn and Jason Roberts who found his shooting boots, well shin pads, against Wigan.

West Ham vs West Brom is another fixture that could throw up a few goals. Scott Parker at 5.4 million and Frederic Piquionne available for 5.1 million are well worth considering. The Hammers won’t stay bottom of the table for long and this home tie with the Albion could be the turning point of their season.

I’ve gone striker crazy in my suggestions this week, but I sense goals in game week 12 and goals mean points. Hopefully I’ve given you plenty to think about as you tinker with your attack.

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Hello and welcome to EPL Talk’s new weekly Fantasy League tips column. If you are constantly experiencing selection problems ahead of the weekends fixtures this is the column for you (hopefully!). Every week I will do my best to not only pick out the weeks potential points grabbers but also suggest who might benefit from a weekend of bench warming.

Kicking off in controversial style, my first tip is Emile Heskey. The Villa front man may have all the grace of a concussed Bambi on ice but he is shining once again under the guidance of Gerrard Houllier. It’s the second City derby this weekend and I can see a resurgent Heskey being more than a handful for the Birmingham back four.

Looking for someone to Partner big Emile upfront? Look no further than Man Utd’s part owl goal machine Javier Hernandez, the rubber necked Mexican grabbed two at the weekend and came off the bench midweek to help overcome Wolves in the Carling Cup. Come Saturday he’ll find himself up against a Spurs side that, when it comes to keeping clean sheets, are about as successful as “Chicharito’s” absent team mate Wayne Rooney. There are points to be had at Old Trafford and Nani will be looking to get in on the action too. The winger’s toes are beginning to twinkle as brightly as his winking predecessor, seeing him currently sit second overall in the midfield rankings.

Be sure to bolster your engine room with Blackpool’s star man Charlie Adam. Like a pair of Day-Glo hot pants The Tangerine’s are far from fashionable but they certainly catch the eye and Adam is reaping the benefits of Blackpool’s free flowing approach. They host West Brom this weekend in what promises to be an open game. Having notched up a respectable 46 points so far this season, the Baggies Chris Brunt is well worth a look too.

If you’re in the market for a bargain then you may want to cast your eye over Sunderland’s Ahmed Elmohamady (I’d never heard of him either). The Egyptian has so far accumulated 44 points and looks a snip at 5 million. Another potential steal available at the Stadium of Light is goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The stopper has 35 points on the board and is available for a cool 4.1 million.

It’s not just about who to add it’s also about who to axe. If you have any West Ham players in your squad now is the time to give them a rest. On the back of a Carling cup tie that went to extra time the last place you want to visit is the Emirates Stadium. The Hammers defensive unit will be coughing up lungs and seeing double after 90 minutes of chasing Arsenal shadows.

Finally Manchester City’s barrel-chested nuisance Carlos Tevez is very doubtful for their trip to Wolves with a thigh injury. I’d follow Mancini’s lead and reward wee Carlos with a weekend off.

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Avram Grant must love a challenge. Last year he took on the impossible task of trying to keep a debt-ridden Portsmouth in the Premier League, and this term he has turned his attentions to ensuring West Ham don’t also suffer the embarrassment of relegation.

While it has not exactly been the start that the former Chelsea boss would have hoped for with the Hammers currently sitting bottom of the league, they are currently on a four game unbeaten run in the Premier League. Tomorrow they entertain Newcastle United, and a win could be just be a much needed kick-start for their season

But it won’t be easy for the Hammers, Chris Houghton’s side have made a fairly solid start to life back in the big time, and while they may lack the big names of the Newcastle sides of old they will stole pose a real threat for Grant’s side.

Newcastle have been very much hit and miss so far this season, a disappointing home defeat to Blackpool was followed by an impressive win at Everton and it has been this inconsistency that see’s the Toon sitting in 16^th place.

Key to any success for the visitors could be Andy Carroll. The striker has had well documented personal problems of late with the last week that has seeing him released on police bail for assault before having his car torched. It is debatable whether Carroll will be in the right frame of mind to produce his best, but if he can stay focused on the game, Newcastle could gain another impressive win on the road.

But the Hammers will go in to the game with every chance of getting their first win of the season.  Their second half display at Wolves last weekend demonstrated that the Upton Park club may just have turned the corner, and in truth they probably should have won the game after Frédéric Piquionne controversially saw a goal disallowed for handball.

Piquionne is just starting to find some form with three goals in his last three games. The powerful forward showed last season that he can score goals, and if he and Carlton Cole can develop a partnership West Ham should have too much elsewhere in the squad to see off the threat of relegation for another year.

But they need to start picking up wins and this could start with this crucial game for the Hammers. A win is much needed and could set the tone for a season where Grant is rewarded for taking on another daunting task. But defeat and the knives may well be out and Grant could be looking for his next big challenge.

Tottenham Hotspur today made a surprise bid to move into the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 London Olympics. The bid now means that two Premier Leagues will be going head-to-head in a battle to be homed in the stadium after West Ham United also submitted a bit.

Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy admits the club are simply covering themselves as they continue to look for a new home,  saying: “It is only prudent and good management that we ensure that we investigate all possible options.”

But Karren Brady, Vice-Chair at West Ham feels that the Hammers are the most sensible choice. Earlier this year she told BBC Sport: “We are a natural, logical solution. We want to create a positive, vibrant ongoing legacy.

“We’ve made no secret of the fact we would be the best tenant and make the best use of the site where we can not only incorporate Premier League football, we can add athletics and we’re in discussions with international cricket and rugby as well.”

It is the fact that Ms Brady feels that a football stadium should incorporate other sports that is causing the debate. Lord Sebastian Coe, the man behind bringing the games to London, has already insisted that the Arena will be used as the countries number one athletics venue after the games, meaning the running track will remain in place.

I can understand why Lord Coe is insistent on the Stratford stadium retaining its Olympic heritage after the games, and for this reason both West Ham and Tottenham would be foolish to move in to the stadium.

Yes the facilities would be a vast improvement for both clubs, and I’m sure they would be able to attract more fans by moving in to the new arena, but the fact is that the spectator will only lose out with a running track in place.

Away from the pitch it is hard to generate an atmosphere; you almost become detached from the game itself. The atmospheres at Upton Park and White Hart Lane are amongst the best in the country. If either club moves in to the Olympic Stadium, you can guarantee that the fans would suffer, and this impressive vocal support would be diminished.

What do you think? Would a multi-use stadium really work in the Premier League?

Although Chelsea will take on a West Ham side that are rock-bottom of the Premier League on Saturday, the trip to Upton Park represents Ancelotti’s toughest task so far this season, and Chelsea will have to up their game to continue their stunning start to the season.

Chelsea have had nothing short of seamless start. Comprehensive 6-0 thrashings of both West Brom and Wigan set alarm bells ringing around title rivals. But against Stoke things were not so easy, and although Ancelotti’s side picked up a 2-0 win to continue their 100% record, the Potters were more than competitive for most of the game.

Having said that though you have to admit that Chelsea have had a supremely impressive start to the campaign, they playing with the fluidity and confidence that hasn’t been seen since the days of a certain Mr Mourinho.

But what made Mourinho so successful was his ability to go to places like West Ham and win. Anything other than a win on Saturday would somewhat diminish Chelsea’s emphatic start and that is the sort of pressure that comes with been reigning champions.

West Ham themselves need for the points for completely different reasons. A trip to Upton Park is never easy, but with West Ham still looking for their first points of the season a result for the Hammers is more important than ever. Couple that with Avram Grant taking on his former club and we have a game that will prove very difficult for the champions.

The Hammers start has been bitterly disappointing but they shouldn’t panic just yet.  Carlton Cole remains at Upton Park after constantly been linked away with a move, and in fairness opening away trips to Aston Villa and Manchester United were always going to be difficult for the Hammers.

But it was the home defeat to Bolton that has lead to worry beginning to spread around East London, but in fairness West Ham should of picked something up from that game, and there is no need for mass panic just yet.

There shouldn’t be mass panic even if Chelsea pick up three points on Saturday.  But personally I can see West Ham getting a much needed point to kick start their season and a result that installs hope around the league that Chelsea aren’t invincible after all.

In a refreshing change of events, former Birmingham City owners, David Gold and David Sullivan took control of the Hammers and admitted straightaway the mess that West Ham United have been battling with. Since the crashing collapse of the Icelandic banking system, West Ham had been financially stricken and the true extent of the footballing debt is now apparent. The Hammers owe £110 million out. One Hundred and Ten Million pounds.

Only in November did C.B. Holdings claim that the Hammers were in debt to the tune of £38 million, misleading the fans in to thinking that the situation was nowhere near as bad as some in the media had reported. In fact it was almost 3 times as bad as they made out and the new owners/controllers made clear exactly where they debts lay. They also confirmed that the club were going to have to sell players in this transfer window, contrary to the clubs previous stance. An immediate cash injection of £8 million was needed to keep the club going.

The list reads like a what not to do in football, or to put it another way, how to run a club like Leeds United. It’s as if someone wrote a business plan based on what went wrong at Elland Road and it was mistranslated into Icelandic to make it seem positive. It’s madness to see the debt and borrowing going on at West Ham over the last 3 years.

• £50 million owed to banks.
• £40 million owed to other clubs for transfers.
• The £40 million owed to other clubs, includes £20 million compensation to Sheffield United.
• Alan Curbishley is still owed his severance deal after winning his case for constructive dismissal
• No-one owes West Ham any money, all player transfer fees that were received paid the bank debt immediately
• C.B. Holdings had borrowed money against the next two seasons season ticket revenue
• There is no money for strengthening the squad.

Now this paints a completely different figure to what the West Ham fans believed, rightly or wrongly what the were being told. The previous regime were filling there heads with nonsense. It is a very real prospect that relegation would have seen West Ham implode financially. No ifs, no buts, they were immediately into administration. After all the information about Leeds United, C.B. Holdings were following exactly the same route.

It seems like absolute madness that not one lesson from the Yorkshire clubs demise has served to teach anyone anything it seems, as we see with the issues at Manchester United, Portsmouth and Liverpool in the last week. Regardless of the riches awash for the Premiership clubs, you still have to cut your cloth accordingly. Someone sooner or later is going to fall over the edge, which is a subject I’m going to be looking at in more depth for EPLtalk.com next week.

Gold and Sullivan have acted quickly in bringing in their trusted lieutenant, Karen Brady as vice chairman and she’ll be quick to install some much needed pragmatism at Upton Park. They are now going to talk to Newham council about moving to the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Olympics. That could be  a challenge as Tottenham enquired about taking it over and were plainly told it was not available. The Olympic stadium is set to be reduced from its 80,000 capacity down to a pointless 30,000, for which there is neither the use nor the need.

The NFL could still play a part in the stadium’s future use that could play into West Ham’s hands. The NFL have earmarked that the often mooted London franchise’s potential base could be there. It would certainly make more sense to use it as a dual sport stadium than a white elephant for athletics, which is the current plan. There is neither the inclination or support for that size of athletics venue in London, they should sell it and use the money to redevelop Crystal Palace Athletic Stadium.

So now, West Ham have to focus on the future and the fans will be thankful that regardless of the criticisms that could be placed at Gold and Sullivan’s door during their tenure at Birmingham City, they still have a club to support. The work is now on to bring in fresh investment to try and work off the remaining debt and crucial to that is the fact that West Ham United need to stay up.

Gianfranco Zola has been nothing but a gentlemen throughout this difficult period for him and he needs to make sure that he can keep his side together for one almighty relegation scrap. For a first job, he has certainly been earning his money, of that there is no doubt. In the next six games, West Ham face Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Birmingham City and Hull City. Come the end of February, Gold, Sullivan and Zola will know exactly the size of the task to keep West Ham United in the Premier League.