Team of the week 18

1. Casto, BETIS, Goalkeeper
20.00 pts, 5 saves: Worked hard to keep clean sheet against Sporting Gijon.

2. Bernardo, RACING, Defender, 17.00
First goal for Racing for the Colombian Seville loanee, and a matchwinner in 1-0 win over Zaragoza.

3. Liassine Cadamuro, R.SOCIEDAD, Defender, 15.00
Outstanding Sociedad defender in holding Osasuna to 0-0 draw. Great value at 2.85

4. J. Valera, GETAFE, Defender, 14.50
Another impressive display from Getafe's best defender in 0-0 draw with Bilbao.

5. Borja Valero, VIL, Midfielder, 18.50, 0 goals, 1 assist
At the heart of all that's good about Villarreal: 2-2 with Valencia.

6. S. Feghouli, VALENCIA, Midfielder, 14.00
A goal against Villarreal. Great value at 6.22.

7. Mikel Rico, GRANADA, Midfielder, 15.00
Scored his second of the season in 5-1 defeat at Real Madrid

8. M. Özil, R.MAD, Midfielder, 16.00
Dominant creative display. 3 assists as Real beat Granada 5-1.

9. *K. Benzema*, R. MAD, Forward, 25.50 pts, 2 goals
Top player of the week with 2 goals.

10. J. Molina, BETIS, Forward, 14.50
Crucial goal in Betis' 2-0 victory

11. R. Tamudo, RAYO Vallecano, Forward, 15.50,
Matchwinner for veteran as Vallecano beat Sevilla 2-1

13. Andrés, OSASUNA, Goalkeeper, 17.00
12. C. Ronaldo, R. MAD, Forward, 14.50, 1 goal
14. Juanfran, LEVANTE, Defender, 14.00
15. S. Ramos, R. MAD, Defender, 14.00
16. A. Barrada, GETAFE, Midfielder, 12.00

Antoine Griezmann: Real Sociedad's French star of the future

Griezmann Wagon Wheel: Click to Enlarge

In a weekend when the El Clasico bigshots squeezed out pitiful fantasy point, the door was left open for some of the league's lesser known stars to shine. And French starlet Antoine Griezmann siezed the day and registered the stand-out performance from Jornada 32. The 20 year old French forward scored twice for Real Sociedad in their vital 2-1 win over Sporting Gijon and top scored the round (pending delayed results from Villarreal 1-0 Zaragoza) with 28pts. This superb display deserves closer attention.



Griezmann's triumphant week caps a stellar season for the forward who has been one of the league' most consistent performers. He has 225 pts, averages 7.26 and is ranked 19th overall in the top scorers list (just ahead of Soldado (Valencia), Nilmar (Villarreal) and Ozil (Real)). His brace took his goals tally to 7 for the season but this is a forward whose efficacy is in his all round play in the final third. While he has just 1 assist, he has also registered 20 shots on target, delivered 64 Successful crosses, won 32 Corners and drawn 37 Fouls. It all adds up.

His 28 pts was his highest weekly total this season and was a welcome reprieve for Sociedad who have been struggling for goals and slipping dangerously close to the relegation zone. With Raul Tamudo seemingly having forgotten how to be a centre forward and main man Javier Llorente missing since Week 20, Griezmann has stepped up to the plate in his side's hour of need.

Real Sociedad may not be the first club people associate with nurturing the young stars of the future but in Griezmann and Xabi Prieto, the blue Basques have produced two of the outstanding young players of this Liga season and will struggle to hold onto the young bucks for 2011/12.

U-19 Champion

• Griezmann also lined up for the French u-19 side that beat their Spanish counterparts in the European Championships in July 2010. However, the wing-wonder didn't quite have the impact he would have hoped for according to Goal.com's ratings

• Total Football Madness have provided a useful write up on the french man. According to them, Griezmann is "the next big thing to come out of France"

• I enjoyed this fab clip where Griezmann invites his teammates to invade a car after scoring against Deportivo:

Week 25 preview: Espanyol v Real Sociedad

The first preview for Week 25

Espanyol 6th v Real Sociedad 8th

• Espanyol have slumped to 6th while RSO have been climbing to 8th.
• Espanyol have lost 4 in a row - seeing the once imperious GK Kameni's value plumet to 10.
• But Espanyol have only lost thrice at home to Barca, Madrid and Villarreal
• RSO have lost only 1 in 4 (at the Bernabeau)
• Callejon and Duscher are carrying knocks for ESP
• Tamudo scored for Espanyol the last time that Espanyol lost at home to RSO (8 years ago)

Predictions

An Espanyol victory has to be a slight favourite, but they have been struggling with goals and can expect fierce resistance from RSO. Many ESP players' value have sunk due to their recent poor run. Tempting bargains include:

Forward, Sergio Garcia, 7.9
Forward, Luis Garcia, 12.95
Defender, E Galan, 1.00
GK, Kameni, 10.

For RSO, there are few temptations to be had with a good solid run of form for the team all round. It seems worth hanging on to Tamudo if you have him for cheap. I got him in at 11 his value has soared to 16. A good shout for a goal against his old side. Prieto is good value but will have to go though after his dissapointing display last week.

Predicted score: 2-1 goals for Callejon for ESP and Tamudo for RSO

Team of the week 23: Joaquin - phoenix from the flames

Player, team, position, value, points.
The highest scoring team possible this week in la ligafantasy football

Joaquin - return to form

R. Tamudo, RSO, Forward, 11.19, 24.50
D. Trezeguet, HER, Forward, 10.06, 16.00
Ronaldo, Real Mad, Forward, 43.83, 16.00

Joaquín, Valencia, Midfielder, 9.99, 27.00
J. Reyes, Athl Madrid, Midfielder, 14.49, 20.50
Farinós, HER, Midfielder, 3.06, 16.50 11.00
M. Arana, Racing, Midfielder, 7.09, 13.00

Marcelo, Real Mad, Defender, 13.57, 26.50
A. Lopo, Deportivo, Defender, 7.37, 21.00
Arbeloa, Real Mad, Defender, 6.21, 11.00

A. Adán, Real Mad, Goalkeeper, 8.43, 20.00


szólj hozzá: atlético-valencia 1-2


Special mentions:
G. Munúa, LEV, Goalkeeper, 12.30, 16.50
Toño, Racing, Goalkeeper, 8.46, 14.50


Key Points:

Adan - saved the game for Real

• Real Madrid have 4 in the top scoring XI
• 3 are defensive players, including a keeper. Espanyol gave them a good battering but they held on!
• 23 yr old Antonio Adan made his league debut in goal after Casillas was sent off. He made 5 saves - more than any other keeper this weekend - to help secure all three points for Mourinho's men.
• Nice to see Joaquin top score in a very mediocre period for him
• Amazing to see former multimillion pound man, Farinos register a mighty score for Hercules, and valued at a measly 3. This will need further investigation

My team?

• I got a high scoring front 3 with Adebayor, Tamudo and Rondon but was a bit disastrous elsewhere. 
• Prieto was suspended, Di Maria was substituted early on, and Barca had a defensive mare.
• Also Trezeguet had a great week despite my reservations