Fantasy Football: Community Shield provides clues for new Premier League season

10 August 2009 10:39
Four goals, four yellow cards and a penalty shoot-out set the tone for the new season, but also provided the Telegraph Fantasy Football manager with some selection ideas for the new campaign. Manchester United began their post-Cristiano Ronaldo era with defeat in the Wembley curtain-raiser but gave a few ideas as to how they will line-up in this year's Premier League. Firstly, John O'Shea started at right back, evidence that until Wes Brown recovers from a thigh muscle strain the Republic of Ireland utility man will fill that berth. At £4.0m he represents the best value you can find for a regular Manchester United defender, and is worth keeping tabs on. In midfield, Darren Fletcher (£3.3m) looks set for a starting role and his low valuation can help you free up some budget elsewhere. Portugal winger Nani started his season superbly with a well-taken goal, only to dislocate his shoulder. So any managers banking on the 22-year-old need to make a transfer before the amnesty ends at 12.45pm on Saturday. Up top Wayne Rooney partnered Dimitar Berbatov, to send a warning to Fantasy Football managers who were banking on Michael Owen's relative value at £6.2m. There's no guarantee he'll get more than the 14 minutes he played yesterday, so you best resist for now... Chelsea meanwhile set their stall out for the season with a disciplined diamond formation topped off with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka. With both of these men set to regularly lead the line, it could lead to points aplenty. Most telling however, was the selection of Ricardo Carvalho (£3.8m) at the heart of the Chelsea defence. With John Terry a given at centre-half, there was some debate as to who would partner the England skipper. But that position looks to have gone to the Portuguese, until at least Yuri Zhirkov recovers from a knee injury. Carvalho's relative low rating is ideal for managers looking for a regular player in a title-contending defence. What do you think? Did you see any Community Shield clues? Get involved by making a comment below...

Source: Telegraph