Early Season Thoughts

Premier league back next weekend.
Early season thoughts.

Man City should be favourites again but Pep is shedding some of his reliable players with Gundogan and Mahrez gone, So far just Kovacic in.

Arsenal have been on a spending spree with over £200m already spent on Rice, Havertz and Timber, with only Xhaka going out so far. I think Top 4 for them but would be surprised if they go as close this season.

Chelsea have had a massive yard sale with more to come, over £250m received for many first teamers and players like Lukaku just back from loans probably being moved on. Over £130m spent on new players means they still have about 50 potential first teamers on the books.
I like Pochettino and think he can only improve them.

Liverpool have lost a lot of their reliable heads like Henderson, Milner, Firmino, Fabinho with just MacAllister and a £70m Leipzig player coming in.

Man Utd have brought in Mount and a new goalie, at the moment I can't see them doing any better than Europen places.

West Ham losing Rice and with money in the bank, but as usual they are struggling to bring anyone in.

Will interesting to see if Brighton can carry on improving, if they do Top 4 is not out of reach.
If Kane stays at Tottenham they might be in with a shout at European places, without him I doubt it.
Newcastle, Aston Villa and Fulham could all be in with a shout at Top 6.

I think Burnley and Sheff Utd should stay up and do reasonably well, Luton maybe not.

The fact that the Saudi transfer window goes on for 3 weeks after the European one could derail a few teams this season, as older players will find it hard to resist the money on offer.

Predictions???
Champs - Man City
Other Top 4 from - Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton
Relegated - Luton + any 2 from Bournemouth, Palace, Wolves, Forest and hopefully not West Ham

The Womens World Cup 2023

I've watched way more of this than I expected to.
The skill and quality level has improved massively from previous editions, and there has been many enjoyable games so far.

The biggest problem with the men's game in recent seasons has been the amount of play-acting, diving and time wasting. There has been virtually none of that in this World Cup so far.
The VAR and referees have been as bad as in the men's game, with every decision taking forever to sort out.
Most of the games running over with huge amounts of time added, mainly down to the VAR delays.
Amusing bit has been the referees having to explain the decisions, with a lot of them seeming really embarrassed about public speaking.

At this point a few teams are standing out, Japan have been superb with pinpoint passes all over the pitch.
England winning all 3 games so far, but not quite on top form yet.
Sweden, France and Netherlands all looking potential champions.
Usual top team USA have struggled so far.

Fantasy Premier League

This Years Nothing Better Than Football - Fantasy Premier League

Code -  trqqvr

Auto Join - https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/trqqvr

Fantasy Football

One final table for completion 

The top 10 for this seasons NBTD TFF Telegraph fantasy football.

This used to be the best fantasy football game around, but with less prizes and the overall prize money being reduced, it is close to death.

Won several cash prizes in the past (about £300) and a box load of medals and trophies, but now just play for fun.

Used to be a Super Leagues prize which made it worthwhile recruiting lots of people, most seasons I would make the Top 100 and did win the Euro version a few seasons back.

Now you can't even find out where your league sits as their isn't a table anymore 😒

So this season just 6 players (up to 5 teams per person).

Probably because I ddn't bother promoting it on Socal media (only did so for the FPL one).

At least I won 😀 unlucky for Colin who did an Arsenal by leading for about 30+ weeks but falling away at the end.

FA Cup Final

For the sake of completion, if anyone wants to do the final FA Cup prediction.

 

Man City v Man Utd

 

Should be a reasonably even game, Man City should be favourites but will have one eye on next weeks Champions league final so Pep might rest a few names?

Man Utd will hope to stop City from possibly completing the treble and can go all out as it's their last game of the season.

Other stuff

Almost felt sorry for an English ref last night

Anthony Taylor got the Europa league final between Seville and Roma and it must have been a nightmare for him and his crew with both teams diving, cheating and surrounding him after every decision.

Seville probably deserved the win but as usual it was Mourinho's diva performance that gets the headlines.

Transfer stuff

Obviously don't want Declan Rice to leave but if he does I was glad to hear that Bayern Munich were in for him, almost a guarantee he will win something with them and get regular Champions league football.

Don't think I could bear to see him playing for another English club, and if he wants to win things Man City seem the only ones who could offer him that but would he actually get a game for them?

 

Most obvious transfer seems to be Harry Kane to Man Utd, he needs to be in a team who have a chance of  winning something and Man Utd desperately need a striker.

Season End Facts And Figures

The final predictions league facts and figures

 

Paul was the top scorer overall with 262 points
But with the way this competition runs 5 points has been enough to win for Biopunk, Paul and Gibbo this season, while I have lost with 14 points!!

Most 3 point correct scores - Lee 37
Most 1 point correct results - Paul 163
Most correct results overall - Paul 196
Highest weekly score - Paul 17

The table if everyone was included (regulars, Sutton, guests, Model)

 

The final table for this years Nothing Better Than Football FPL League.

 

A second win in a row for Hishaam, a South African Liverpool fan.
Will take some beating as he's finished in the top 0.1% of players both times.

I finished 7th overall, but can claim to be the top West Ham fan of the 16 in the league.
A bit disappointed after being 3rd only 3 weeks ago but dropping 244,583 places in the last 4 game weeks :😢

Only other regular here Paul S finished 21st.

Premier Predictions (Week 38)

The final week, and the title is still on the line 😀

Not in the Premier league where Man City are champions, and the top 4 confirmed and 6 of the 7 European places are sorted.
Aston Villa, Tottenham and Brentford still in with a chance of making the Conference league.

Main battles on Sunday are the final relegation places.
Everton with the advantage, just need a home win over safe Bournemouth.
Leicester and Leeds need to win and hope, both might expect to as Leeds play Tottenham who might not want Conference league after their humiliation 2 years ago, and Leicester will hope West Ham are thinking about the Euro final in 10 days time.

Big game at Wembley Saturday as two "blast from the past" teams Coventry and Luton play off for the final place in next seasons Premier league.

Anyway, thanks everyone for playing along this season (hope Biopunk is OK) and unless you all say "enough is enough" I'll do it all again next season?  😉

10 games all on Sunday, 4:30pm kick offs

Arsenal v Wolves
Aston Villa v Brighton
Brentford v Man City
Chelsea v Newcastle
Crystal Palace v Nottm Forest
Everton v Bournemouth
Leeds v Tottenham
Leicester v West Ham
Man Utd v Fulham
Southampton v Liverpool

Good Luck All  😃

Premier Predictions (Week 37)

Week 37 the penultimate week of the season.
Paul just needs me not to win, to be champion  😓

Anyway it's another extended week with 2 extra games
6 games on Saturday, 3 on Sunday and one each on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (so another late finish).

Man City just need to win on Sunday to be champions, Newcastle need to beat Leicester to guarantee Champions league. Man Utd need 6 points to finish above Liverpool.
At the bottom Southampton are down, Leicester and Leeds look most likely to join them.


Tottenham v Brentford
Bournemouth v Man Utd
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Wolves v Everton
Nottm Forest v Arsenal
West Ham v Leeds
Brighton v Southampton
Man City v Chelsea
Newcastle v Leicester
*
Brighton v Man City
Man Utd v Chelsea

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 36)

3 Weeks to go
One extra game this week, 6 games Saturday, 3 on Sunday, 1 on Monday
and the bonus game is on Thursday (so a bit of a wait for final scores).

Big European week for 2 teams 😁 🛠

The pundit bit 😜
At the top Man City go to Everton, which until last week looked like an easy game.
Arsenal play Brighton which until last week looked like a hard game.
The battle for top 4 has hotted up with Liverpool on a roll and Man Utd limping over the line.
At the bottom Southampton need to win their last 3 to have even the slightest chance.
Leicester, Leeds, Everton all face top 5 teams, meaning West Ham should be safe? 😉
Forest go to Chelsea, and you never know with them.


Leeds v Newcastle
Aston Villa v Tottenham
Chelsea v Nottm Forest
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth
Man Utd v Wolves
Southampton v Fulham
Brentford v West Ham
Everton v Man City
Arsenal v Brighton
Leicester v Liverpool
*
Newcastle v Brighton


Good Luck All   😀

Premier Predictions (Week 35)

10 game week spread over 3 days, 5 games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday and 3 on Monday.
Man City with the chance to extend their lead as Arsenal have to go to 3rd place Newcastle, although with a trip to Real Madrid on Tuesday they might rest a few. But still a tough start for the return of "big Sam".
Tough games for the relegation strugglers, with the last game on Monday a must win for both.
West Ham take on Man Utd at the weird time of 7pm Sunday with both needing the points, West Ham play in Europe Thursday so might be some team juggling.

Bournemouth v Chelsea
Man City v Leeds
Tottenham v Crystal Palace
Wolves v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Brentford
Newcastle v Arsenal
West Ham v Man Utd
Fulham v Leicester
Brighton v Everton
Nottm Forest v Southampton

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 34)

A 13 game week coming up spread over 6 days.
3 matches Saturday, 5 on Sunday, 1 Monday, 1 Tuesday, 2 Wednesday, 1 Thursday.

2 games each for Liverpool, Fulham, Man City, West Ham, Brighton and Man Utd.
A couple of big relegtion battles, and 2 games on Sunday for the minor European places.
Frank Lampard going for 6 straight defeats away at Arsenal, although 39 points should be enough to stay up?

Crystal Palace v West Ham
Brentford v Nottm Forest
Brighton v Wolves
Bournemouth v Leeds
Fulham v Man City
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Southampton
Liverpool v Tottenham
Leicester v Everton
Arsenal v Chelsea

Liverpool v Fulham
Man City v West Ham
Brighton v Man Utd

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 32 + 33)

Double header this time as the games are so close together.

Week 32 has 8 league games and 2 Cup ties to make up the numbers.
Friday start with Arsenal aiming to restore their 7 point lead with City playing in the Cup. 5 of the relegation candidates play on Saturday.
2 big games on Sunday at both ends.
Week 33 includes the possible title decider? and the Leeds v Leicester relegation decider?

Week 32 (Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd)
1 game Friday, 6 games Saturday, 3 games Sunday
(90 minute rule on the 2 Cup games)

Arsenal v Southampton
Fulham v Leeds
Brentford v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Everton
Leicester v Wolves
Liverpool v Nottm Forest
Man City v Sheff Utd (FAC)
Bournemouth v West Ham
Newcastle v Tottenham
Brighton v Man Utd (FAC)

==============================

Week 33 (Tuesday 25th - Thursday 27th)
3 games Tuesday, 4 games Wednesday, 3 games Thursday

Wolves v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v Fulham
Leeds v Leicester
Nottm Forest v Brighton
Chelsea v Brentford
West Ham v Liverpool
Man City v Arsenal
Everton v Newcastle
Southampton v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Man Utd

==============================

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 31)

Normal 10 game week again, 7 games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, 1 on Monday.
Four teams in the middle of European quarter finals, so probably a few rotated teams for those, 

although I don't think West Ham would be getting anything even with a full strength rested team 😒

In form Villa and Newcastle looks the pick of the games,
or the Potter derby (without Potter) 😆

Interesting that ref Attwell is on duty as VAR man at the Wolves game? as Wolves have been the 2nd most screwed over team by VAR this season, after Brighton.

All very tight at the top with our league, just 8 weeks left.

Aston Villa v Newcastle
Chelsea v Brighton
Everton v Fulham
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Tottenham v Bournemouth
Wolves v Brentford
Man City v Leicester
West Ham v Arsenal
Nottm Forest v Man Utd
Leeds v Liverpool

Good Luck All  😃

Premier Predictions (Week 30)

Just the 10 games this week, 8 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday.
Relegation battle hotting up with 2 of the bottom 3 playing each other.
I guess Chelsea fans will be excited about the return of fat Frank?
Title race might warm up if Liverpool do City a favour?
Crazy that you never know what you're getting from Liverpool, Man U and Tottenham this season, could be brilliant or could be awful.


Man Utd v Everton
Aston Villa v Nottm Forest
Brentford v Newcastle
Fulham v West Ham
Leicester v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Brighton
Wolves v Chelsea
Southampton v Man City
:
Leeds v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Arsenal

Good Luck All  😃

Premier Predictions (Week 29)

Bumper week of 16 games this time, 10 regular games plus 6 re-arranged games.
7 games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, 1 on Monday, 4 on Tuesday, 2 on Wednesday.

Top 2 only play once, while Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton and Brentford all have the chance to put pressure on Tottenham for 4th place.
Five of the bottom nine relegation candidates play twice, with Palace in 12th only 3 points above the bottom 3.
Ten weeks left and only Fulham, Chelsea and Villa can rely on mid table obscurity.


Man City v Liverpool
Arsenal v Leeds
Bournemouth v Fulham
Brighton v Brentford
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Nottm Forest v Wolves
Chelsea v Aston Villa
West Ham v Southampton
Newcastle v Man Utd
Everton v Tottenham

Bournemouth v Brighton
Leeds v Nottm Forest
Leicester v Aston Villa
Chelsea v Liverpool
Man Utd v Brentford
West Ham v Newcastle


Good Luck All  😃

Fantasy Football

Time for some table updates.

So here are the full predictions table (so far)

Plus the top tens in NBTD fantasy leagues, FPL and TFF

10 Weeks left

Premier Predictions (Week 28)

One of those mixed weeks, only 7 premier league games so I've padded it out with the 4 FA Cup quarter finals. 🏆

All games count, with 90 minute score in the Cup games as usual

One game on Friday night
6 games on Saturday, 4 games on Sunday
International week follows so no more till April 1st


Nottm Forest v Newcastle
:
Aston Villa v Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Southampton v Tottenham
Wolves v Leeds
Chelsea v Everton
Man City v Burnley (FAC)
:
Sheff Utd v Blackburn (FAC)
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Grimsby (FAC)
Man Utd v Fulham (FAC)

Good Luck All  😃

Premier Predictions (Week 27)

An extended week with 2 extra re-arranged games.
6 games on Saturday, 4 games on Sunday and 2 on Wednesday.

Early game Saturday has Liverpool going to Bournemouth who they beat 9-0 earlier in the season, on the back of a 7-0 win ... so obviously a home win  😜
Man City go to bogey team Palace, Arsenal go to Fulham.
Bottom of the table very tight, 6 teams could be bottom by Sunday night?


Bournemouth v Liverpool
Everton v Brentford
Leeds v Brighton
Leicester v Chelsea
Tottenham v Nottm Forest
Crystal Palace v Man City
:
Fulham v Arsenal
Man Utd v Southampton
West Ham v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Wolves
:
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Southampton v Brentford


Good Luck All  😃

 Lineker Explained

 

Premier Predictions (Week 26)

The last straightforward 10 game week for a while, 7 games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, 1 on Monday.
Potential change at the top this week? could be overtaken by Gibbo or Paul (need to bring my cup form)

Looking at upcoming fixtures I think Arsenal must be confident of holding on at the top?
The 2 arab rich teams play the early game, former big teams Liverpool and Man Utd play Sunday.
West Ham make the annual trip to bogey team Brighton, 11 years ago we beat Brighton 6-0 since then 6 draws 5 defeats.

Man City v Newcastle
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Brighton v West Ham
Chelsea v Leeds
Wolves v Tottenham
Southampton v Leicester

Nottm Forest v Everton
Liverpool v Man Utd
Brentford v Fulham

Good Luck All  😀

On the plus side I didn't have to log in this time 😃
But now had problems posting this, bold letters, post labels, smileys etc weren't working and couldn't publish (seems to be ok now so hope it works this time) 🙄

Premier Predictions (Week 25 + FA Cup Part 3)

Here we go with a mixed week. 🤔
10 Premier league games played over 6 days, plus a League cup final for good measure.
The Premier league games start on Friday night at Fulham, 6 games on Saturday, one on Sunday, and two re-arranged games on Wednesday.
Also the League (Caribou) cup final is on Sunday (90 min score only).
Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool and Wolves all play twice.
Brighton and Brentford don't play at all, while Man U and Newcastle are in the LC Final.

--
Fulham v Wolves
--
Everton v Aston Villa
Leeds v Southampton
Leicester v Arsenal
West Ham v Nottm Forest
Bournemouth v Man City
Crystal Palace v Liverpool
--
Tottenham v Chelsea
Man Utd v Newcastle (LCF)
--
Arsenal v Everton
Liverpool v Wolves
--

Good Luck All  😃

-------------------------------

... and for those that want to carry on with the FA Cup predictions 🏆

here in a separate competition are the 5th Round games.
4 games on Tuesday, 4 games on Wednesday (full time score only, not Extra time or penalties)

Stoke v Brighton
Leicester v Blackburn
Fulham v Leeds
Bristol C v Man City
--
Southampton v Grimsby
Burnley v Fleetwood
Man Utd v West Ham
Sheff Utd v Tottenham

Once again, Good Luck All  😀

(and good luck with the posting, as nearly everything goes straight to spam now?

rest assured if you've posted I will pick it up and publish)

Even I am having troubles 😠