Now that the summer transfer window has slammed shut, several players and teams were able to get their fingers off the sill at the last moment. The most notable was Fulham and Clint Dempsey. The Texan's manuscript on his strategy may be saved for the next "Transfers for Dummies" because he now has to play for AVB. Not having had any preseason games, Dempsey (8.2 value) is not likely to suit up for the match against Norwich City tomorrow.

Another Fulham player who moved from Craven Cottage to White Lane is Moussa Dembele. Listed as a midfielder in your program and a striker for fantasy purposes, Dembele has not scored and has only taken two shots; however, he has looked terrific in his first two matches. Unlike Dempsey, he will be on the pitch for Saturday. His 6.4 salary is relatively low and he promises to give far more value, danger, and muscle than the departed and greatly over-rated Luka Modric. How he co-exists with Adebayor and Dempsey will challenge the limited gray matter of AVB.

On the final day for transfers, Van der Vaart, deemed surplus by AVB was signed by Hamburg, so fantasy managers have 7.4 in salary to work with but will need to burn a transfer. Still with the team and not wanted by AVB is Lennon and Parker (out injured). Brad Freidel is also looking over his shoulder and about to be replaced in goal by Lloris. A positive move was Defoe signing a three-year contract extension. AVB was unable to bring in midfielder Moutinho from Porto and got Dempsey instead.

Fulham picked up a huge improvement with the signing of Berbatov (6.8 salary), a talent who was incredibly classy in not whining over his lot in life while at Man Yoo. A lesser acquisition is Kieran Richardson (5.3) from Sunderland.

Less clear is how the arrival of Andy Carroll (7.1 salary) will improve things for Big Sam at West Ham.

Charlie Adam (6.2) has moved from Liverpool to Stoke. Man City sold de Jong to AC Milan.

Chelsea and Reading, which do not play this weekend, were covered in Sir John's blog on Wednesday. Today Chelsea was given an old-fashioned butt kicking from Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. Chelsea's defense was indefensible.

Previewing Week 3 matches and fantasy implications:

Saturday, September 1

Early game
West Ham-Fulham
The curiosity factor for this ESPN match has escalated with the arrival of Berbitov at Fulham and Carroll at West Ham.
Both teams are 1-0-1. The Hammers are in tenth place and looked putrid against Swansea City, losing 0-3. Big Sam watched his team beat Crewe in a midweek League Cup match. Nolan, with 12 points has the most fantasy points on the team. Diame and Noble have 7; Jaaskelainen has 8.

Fulham striker Petric got 14 of his 17 points in the first game and was subbed out against Man Yoo. With the departure of Dembele, Bryan Ruiz who has 12 points will have a bigger role in the attack; however, Ruiz is struggling with an injury and his return is not known. Rodellega was in the wings ready to be called upon to start until Berbatov transferred in. Riise with 9 points is a point-producer at both ends of the pitch and is due to return from a knock. Hangeland who excels in set pieces, has 7 points. Schwarzer with 9 points is solid in the onion bag.

Tottenham-Norwich City
The uncertainty among players at Spurs (0-1-1 and 14th) was mentioned above. What is certain is that AVB specializes in alienating himself to his players.
Fantasy points from Spurs players' remains a mystery. Gareth Bale, practically immortalized by the media has not scored a goal in 15 PL matches. Adebayor will likely start. Defoe has 10 points but runs hot and cold. A mystery is why AVB is reluctant to use Vertonghen and so far, Sigurdsson has not been the point producer he was while on loan at Swansea. Assou-Ekotto with 13 points has the highest total for any Spurs player. A big loss will be Kaboul who is out four months following surgery.

The Canaries (0-1-0 and 18th) offer little in fantasy potential. Grant Holt (6 points) can score and Pilkington has 9 points.
The biggest talking points on this match are Dembele and AVB seeking his first victory as Spurs' manager.

Manchester City-QPR
The late game has Manchester City (1-1-0 and 5th) against QPR (0-1-1 and 17th). City has not been impressive in their first two matches, barely escaping with a home result against Southampton and then lucking out with a draw at Liverpool. Joe Hart has given up four goals in two games, and no defender has more than four fantasy points. David Silva, once the darling of the Premier League has been in poor form since last January and has just a single fantasy point. So far, Yaya (15 points), Nasri and Tevez (each with 14 points) and to a lesser extent Dzeko (8 points) are carrying the defending champions. Aguero's injury has been key and Balotelli has done little. New transfer Scott Sinclair may be given a look-see as the new guy, but along with Rodwell may find PT hard to get. A late transfer pickup is defender Maicon from Inter Milan.

Rangers keep adding players (GK Cesar the latest); however, Mark Hughes' team is toothless in attack. Zamora has the lone goal for QPR. Still in hibernation are Cisse, Hoilett, Taarabt, and SWP. Fabio and Anton Ferdinand are in the line of fire in the Ranger target range.

Wigan-Stoke City
Wigan (1-0-1 and 8th place) is doing more than staying afloat. Dealing well with the departure of Victor Moses, Roberto Martinez sends his team to Stoke City (0-2-0 and 11th). Tony Pulis has little offensive firepower beyond Kone, Crouch and Walters. Defense is the Potter forte with Huth and Shawcross also good on set pieces and Begovic reliable in goal. Adam has to work to regain his form, especially on set pieces.

Defense defines Wigan with Ramis, Figueroa, and Boyce all with 8 fantasy points. Alcaraz also has 8, but he was red-carded in the League Cup Wednesday and will sit out this game.

Swansea City-Sunderland
The surprise team so far in the Premier League and also for fantasy managers is SC (2-0-0 and in 2nd place). Michu is on fire with three goals in two matches, Dyer has a brace and three other players have a goal each. Routledge has three assists and Michael Vorm has had two clean sheets.

On the other hand, Sunderland (0-1-0 and 13th place) under Martin O'Neill has played just one match, that a scoreless draw at Arsenal.
Danny Rose is now on loan from Tottenham and new transfer Adam Johnson may bring some offense to go with Sessegnon's threat. The filet mignon of the Black Cats will be feeling good over a new contract extension.

WBA-Everton
WBA (1-1-0 and in 4th place) hosting Everton (2-0-0 and 3rd place) is a quality match-up. The Baggies have four players with a goal apiece in Gera, Morrison, Odemwingie, and Chelsea loanee Lukaku. After an opening pasting of Liverpool at home, WBA saved a point at Spurs. Odemwingie is due back from a knock for this game.

Everton is in uncharted territory, at least for the past few years. Normally slow out of the gate, the Blues have excellent fantasy players in Fellaini (two goals), Pienaar and Jelavic. They also have managed to hold onto Baines and he will do well.

Sunday, September 2
Liverpool-Arsenal
Both teams are in a state of disarray. The Reds (0-1-1 and in 16th place) have lost Lucas for two months with a thigh injury, making the arrival of Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid more important. The two Liverpool goals have come from Skrtel and Suarez with the later misfiring on several wide-open chances, a continuing problem for the fiery Uruguayan. Stevie Gerrard's tank is running low and he is no longer reliable for fantasy points. Joe Allen still seems overwhelmed with his switch. Charlie Adam is history and now with Stoke.

Arsenal thus far defies their team name. Offensive weapons are in their arsenal but so far the Gooners are not the gunners and in two matches have scored zero goals in two draws.
Arteta, Cazorla, Diaby, Giroud, Podolski, and Gervinho have provided no replacement scoring for the departed Robin van Persie and there were questions if Theo Walcott would be tossed out the transfer window but he remains at the Emirates.
With all the problems on both teams, Sir John thinks this will be the most enjoyable match of the weekend to watch and could be a high-scoring affair. Koscielny and Szczesny are due back from injury.

Newcastle-Aston Villa
The Magpies (1-0-1 in 9th place) should have a no-brainer result as they take on impotent Aston Villa (0-0-2 in last place). Help will be the return of Tiote. Ba and Ben Arfa have the only goals for Newcastle while Ahmadi has the lone goal for AV, a team Sir John predicts will be relegated. Darren Bent is the lone fantasy quality for AV. Several transfer targets including Dempsey said “no way” about playing at Villa.
Newcastle has an array of point-producers in midfield and at forward. Tim Krul is without a clean sheet, unusual for him. Ryan Taylor is out for Newcastle after being injured in yesterday's Europa match. Ciaran Clark returns for AV from suspension.

Southampton-Manchester United
You could not ask for a tougher schedule to start the season that what the Saints will march through. Man City and Wigan were the opening two matches, this week it is Man Yoo and on the 15th it will be Arsenal. Rickie Lambert and Steven Davis are good bargain fantasy players.

SAF, still without several defenders out hurt or not fit (Ferdinand, Smalling and Jones) is not pleased with his team being in 7th place. And it was revealed Ashley Young is out for two weeks with a knee injury. However, Jonny Evans is due back. Man Yoo (1-0-1) found the scoring touch against Fulham with RvP, Rafael and Kagawa scoring. Wayne Rooney is out for at least a month, so RvP has the box to himself and with Kagawa looking like one of the fantasy finds of the season, Sir John forecasts an easy, high-scoring road result for Man Yoo. Once a big fantasy point-producer, Nani, on shaky ground with SAF, may be hearing Southampton supporters singing, “Nani-Nani Nani-Nani, hey, hey, good bye.”

Yours faithfully,
Sir John

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