Arsenal Fantasy Football 2012/13: Best & Worst Picks?

It's that time of year again, the start of the Barclays Premier League 2012/13 season is just over a week away and with it comes that addictive little thing we call fantasy football. It's all well and good talking the talk among your friends and family about your football knowledge, but there's nothing more satisfying than proving it on the fantasy football field. The first gameweek is crucial, picking the right team can make all the difference later on when it starts coming to the wire. You don't want to be wasting precious points early on by being forced into additional transfers. However the first week is undoubtedly the most difficult, predicting which of the big stars is likely to hit form from the get go is somewhat of a lottery. Last season Robin Van Persie started slow but then burst on to the scene, and in contrast Edin Dzeko started in blistering form before quickly tailing off. Equally important is picking up those bargain players who both score you plenty of points but at the same time free up extra budget for those A list stars who will lead your team to glory. Over the coming days, we will be taking a team by team overview of those players you should be keeping your eye on, and those that you should be looking to avoid. I will be basing the pricing of players on the official Barclays Premier League fantasy football game which can be found at http://fantasy.premierleague.com. First up, Arsenal...

Arsenal

Ones to Watch:

1. Robin Van Persie (Striker- £13.0) RVP was without a doubt the star pick of last seasons fantasy football. Scoring 30 goals and totalling a whopping 264 points, it was almost a crime not to have him in your team. This year however there is a bit more of a question mark over him. If he stays at Arsenal I would have no hesitation considering him for my starting XI. If he makes the rumoured move to United then things complicate a bit, only time would tell how he would fit into SAF's system and how well he would work with Rooney. 2.Laurent Koscielny (Defender- £5.5) Last season Koscielny proved himself a decent pick and this year I see him getting better. Should Vermaelen stay fit then Arsenal have on paper a strong central pairing and at £5.5 compared to Vermaelen's £7, Koscielny is a great option for a cheap but quality defender allowing you to put extra budget in more important areas. It's very rare you pay so little for a top team defender who is guaranteed starting appearances. 3. Aaron Ramsey (Midfield- £6.0) Finally is Wales Captain Aaron Ramsey. He had a poor season last term, but had a decent Olympic tournament and could be a dark horse selection. He clearly has the ability to make an impact, but unfortunately he just hasn't clicked totally with Arsenal so far. Could this be the big season he's been looking for? Maybe, and at the low price of £6.0 he is certainly one to watch. Click "next" below to see the ones to avoid...