Four Fantasy Related Things We Learned From The Community Shield

1. Tom Cleverley is a potential cheap gem- Pre season, there was little reason to believe that Tom Cleverley would emerge as a potentially useful fantasy option. With Ferguson interested in signing Wesley Sneijder, it was clear that the Scotsman had yet to regard Cleverley as a trustworthy starter, even after his successful loan spell at Wigan. However, having starred as part of the wave of youth which eviscerated City in the Community Shield, Cleverley is starting to look like a more and more interesting prospect. Unsurprisingly, he is priced at a meager 5.5 million, so signing him would not require a risky financial outlay. However, it is still unclear whether the soon to be (maybe!) England international will start for United, so a place on the bench at first could be just the ticket.


2. Nani is still one of the most important players in the game- For the first three quarters of last season, Nani was one of the fantasy game's most useful players. His assist numbers were fantastic, a total that was complemented by a healthy number of goals and performance points. However, after the return of Antonio Valenica from injury, Nani's scoring decreased markedly, along with is overall impact at both United and on the fantasy platform. As one of the priciest midfield players in the game, Nani needed a performance like yesterday's to prove that he is worth the ten million pound price tag - two goals and a man of the match gong show that the Portuguese international is still a force to be reckoned with.

3. Edin Dzeko?-It's difficult to say who was left more wronged in the aftermath of Dzeko's goal just before half time. More or less since the second it flew into the net, the David De Gea witch hunt has raged fiercely, as critics look to pounce on the youngster's every action. By the same token though, Dzeko has found himself largely forgotten - no one seems to care that it was his powerful, swerving shot that caught De Gea off guard. There is a reason that Dzeko was such a dangerous player in the Bundesliga you know, he has got a fair amount of talent, and Sunday's strike is indication that he could be prepared to show it. As of now, the jury remains out on all of City's strikers. New, petulant, want away and under performing, any of Mancini's front men could rise to the challenge of firing City to title glory; perhaps Dzeko will be that man.

4. Maybe City's defense isn't watertight- Last year, Manchester City were virtually impenetrable at the back - something which manifested itself clearly in the number of points garnered by players like Kompany and Hart. However, the back line was less than convincing yesterday, particularly on the third goal, when Kompany's terrible mistake put Nani in. Moreover, while in the past the Citizens could be relied upon to keep things tight after taking the lead, on this occasion they let one slip, to disastrous effect. Pre season rustiness or a sign of things to come, it's difficult to judge, but certainly, the Citizens' defenders are nowhere near as attractive fantasy options as they were a week ago.

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