Fantasy Picks for Matchday 2: Tottenham, Southampton, Chelsea, Swansea, & Hull

Note: I don't play fantasy football myself, but I was asked who I would pick this week and for the next month or so (plus a few 'alternates').  So, using my vast vault of useless data, here's my picks:

Keeper
This week: Lloris (Tottenham)
Alternate: McGregor (Hull), Courtois (Chelsea)

Long term: Forster (Southampton), McGregor (Hull), Mannone (Sunderland), Krul (Newcastle)

Defenders
This week: Clyne (Southampton), Davies (Hull), Kelly (CP), Rose (Tottenham)
Alternates: Chester (Hull), Vlaar (Aston Villa), Kaboul (Tottenham), Ivanovic (Chelsea)

Long term: Clyne (Southampton), Coloccini (Newcastle), A. Williams (Swansea), Wilson (Stoke), Davies (Hull), Chester (Hull), Kelly (CP), Ward (CP), Shawcross (Sunderland), Cahill (Che)

Midfielders
This week: Hazard (Che), Shelvey (Swansea), Bentaleb (Tottenham), Schneiderlin (Southampton)
Alternates: Ince (Hull), Fabregas (Che), Ward-Prose, Tadic (Southampton), Mata (Man U)

Long term: All listed Southampton midfielders above plus S. Davis, Wanyama, & Ramirez if you are feeling extra lucky, Ince (Hull), Fabregas, Schurrle, Oscar (Che), Cabella (Newcastle), Mata, Fletcher, Young (Man U)

Forwards
This week: Adebayor (Tottenham), Costa (Chelsea)
Alternates: Bony (Swansea), Long (Southampton), Weimann (Aston Villa)

Long Term: Rooney (Man U), Jelavic (Hull), Gouffran (Newcastle), Berahino (WBA)

That's all I got, sorry a bit short on the strikers, but it what it is.

Steven Caulker doesn't fancy a tackle

It's not that the 22-year-old is poor at tackling, in fact his 63.8 career percentage is admirable, it's just not his style.  The one-time England international has clearly learned the game from former clubmates Ashley Williams and Ledley King.  Neither of those two were much of tacklers either, but both are/were considered capable defenders.  Caulker still has a way to go before he reaches the level of those two, but at least he's on the right path.

npg90	gc90	cc90	ap90	ccv	TTI90
0.09	0.11	0.27	0.03	9.1	8.1
pass%	bp%	sacc%	shot%	intp90	clrp90
83	22.8	31.3	10.5	1.39	8.47
drbp90	bs90	tp90	tack%	adw90	adw%
0.22	1.15	1.22	63.8	2.8	56.2
gsp90	gap90	gop90	tgop	gopd
1.12	1.56	-0.44	-0.25	-0.19

Stats definitions can be found here.

Those are his career stats from the last three Premier League seasons.  He spent 2011-12 on loan to Swansea, where he paired with Williams, 2012-13 at Spurs, and in the summer of 2013, Tottenham sold him to Cardiff.  Three years, three different clubs, and next season he'll be at either QPR or Liverpool, but is he worth buying?

The thing about Caulker is that he was a much better player in his season with the Spurs than at either Welsh club.  He set career highs in goals and assists per 90 minutes played, successful passing, tackling, and shot accuracy percentage, true turnover index per 90 minutes played, interceptions and clearances per 90 minutes played in that campaign.  A couple were particularly impressive, his 89.7% successful pass percentage with only a 27.8% back pass percentage is outstanding and his 4.3 true turnover rate is one of the best I've ever seen.  I can only imagine how impressive his numbers would be if he came to Liverpool.

Probably his most commendable career stat is his 0.22 dribbled past per 90 minutes. If his 0.26 drbp90 from last season at relegated Cardiff, which would have been second to only Skrtel among Liverpool centre backs, doesn't impress, his 0.06 drbp90 in his season at Tottenham is mind-blowing.  Again, that is a number  so low, I'm pretty confident I have never seen anything like it.  For perspective, Lovren posted a 0.48 drbp90 last season at Southampton, that would have been worst among Liverpool centre backs last season, even behind the 0.44 put up by 'Ole Man' Toure.

If we can get Caulker for the £8m that QPR apparently bid (and was accepted), by all means we should sign him.  Even £10m is an acceptable amount.  He is right-footed and will give Skrtel a run for his money, not to mention the Slovak and Agger are both 29-years-old and not getting any younger.  If Sakho shows improvement and adapts better to the English game next season, he and Caulker would be a force hard to reckon with for years to come.

Ben Davies is the Welsh Jon Flanagan

Apparently plan C to sign a left back is Ben Davies, 21-year-old Welsh International who plays for the Swans.  His stats from last season are eerily similar to those of our Jon Flanagan.

	Davies	Flanagan
age	21	21
app(subs)	32(2)	23
mins	2874	1890
p90	31.9	21
goals	2	1
assist	1	1
chances	31	13
npgp90	0.06	0.05
gcp90	0.09	0.1
ccp90	0.97	0.62
ap90	0.03	0.05
ccv	3.1	8.1
pass%	84.3	83.7
bp%	35.9	42.6
sacc%	33.3	42.9
shot%	22.2	14.3
TTI90	9.7	9.2
gap90	1.47	1.81
gsp90	1.45	3
gop90	-0.02	1.19
tgop	0	1.32
tp90	2.38	3.8
tack %	42.1	45.7
intp90	1.97	1.9
clrp90	3.51	3.6
dribpp90	1.69	1.9
bsp90	0.34	0.2

Here are stats definitions, if so needed.

So why would we want to bring in Flanagan's statistical doppleganger? Well, Davies  does play for Swansea and though they are respectable, they did not finish second in the league.  Davies would probably benefit from having more skilled teammates and playing in a more attack-minded side.

I think it all comes down to cost.  He is only 21 and having both he and Flanagan cover the left back position for the next 8 or so years certainly is appealing.  They could even play together with one playing the wing and possibly interchanging during a match, but as I said prior, it's all about the quid.

Funny enough, Davies is valued at around £5m while Flanagan is only worth £1m.  Strange how the transfer market works, I guess it is believed that the Welshman has a bigger upside.  I can't see anybody paying more than £8m for Davies and even that is probably too much.  I don't know, I think I'd rather see us splash the cash for a sexier pick or just hold off until one falls into our hands.

Today's Banter: Rafa waiting Mascherano game, Swansea wants Anderson permanently, City to make Crouch offer, & more

- One of the bigger mysteries at Liverpool, outside of the enigma that is Harry Kewell, is Javier Mascherano's contract situation. The good news is that the Argentine wants to stick around, the bad news is that it will cost us an additional £17m to keep him. With other needs to fill in January, I'm not sure we'll have the funds to make the acquisition then, but I think if we wait until his current on-loan contract runs out his price may go up. I don't think we need Masche, but he certainly makes things a lot easier for us. Rafa is at least willing to wait and see what FIFA rules about third-party player ownership since Mascherano is still technically owned by Kia Joorabchian’s company, Media Sports Investment (MSI). I think that's a good idea, but let's just hope that happens before the January transfer window closes.

- Paul Anderson has made such a splash at Swansea City, that the Swans want to keep him permanently. I personally hope Rafa has future plans for the 19-year-old winger at our club, but I can definitely see him being loaned out again next season and if Swansea gets promoted to the Championship, I don't see why that wouldn't be one of the options. I don't see him joining anything less than a Championship side with maybe a SPL club in consideration. His contract runs through 2010.

- Sven and Man City look to be early suitors for disgruntled striker Peter Crouch. The problem is they are only willing to pay £8m for him. I can't see us taking less than £10m. The reason being is that he'll be a fresh addition to any side thanks to Rafa's rotation policy. If Sven can't get ole Thaksin to cough up an extra £2m, I'm sure Redknapp Casino FC aka Portsmouth can.

- Remember Rob Styles? The man who gave Chelsea a point at Anfield with a rubbish call. Well, it turns out he could get an additional ban for the same match, though this time for his showing of two yellows to Michael Essien. Not sure why the FA has waited this long to try him again, but it sounds awfully fishy to me. Maybe he's had a fallen out with the good ole boys in the FA.

Paul Anderson with another

There's no stopping Paul Anderson these days. The 19-year-old on-loan winger at Swansea scored his third league goal and his fifth overall of the season today as the Swans crushed League One leaders Leyton Orient, 5-0. It is the second straight match in which the Leicester product has netted. Their next match is a week from tomorrow when they face Bournemouth in league play.

Also former Red Neil Mellor scored for the first time this season for Preston North End as his side fell, 1-2, to Ipswich Town. The iconoclastic striker, who was voted 90th in the Players Who Shook the Kop vote despite only playing 16 matches in a Liverpool kit, came on as a second-half sub to cut the lead in half with a converted penalty in the 88th minute.

Finally, Robbie Fowler helped lead Cardiff City to their first league victory in a month, though they are now undefeated in their last four, the previous three being draws. Fowler and fellow geriatric teammate, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, both failed to score, but the Bluebirds still beat Burnley, 2-1, at Ninian Park. The side now sits at 13th in the Championship, the same place they finished last season. Cheers.