The Big Match(es)

The Big One: Fulham 1 Aston Villa 0
Congratulations to Fulham getting back into the Premier league after 4 years away.
Villa used to be one of my favourite teams, but I can't cheer for any team managed by Steve Bruce so was hoping Fulham took their deserved 3rd place.
Nervous end after the sending off but held on.
Shahid Khan is going to have to put his hand in his pocket to buy some players as Fulham had 6 loanees in their squad today, but he has big pockets as he plans to buy Wembley Stadium for about a Billion.

Euro League Final: Real Madrid 3 Liverpool 1
Great start from Liverpool who looked the most likely to score, until Ramos did a job on Salah forcing him off with a dislocated shoulder after dragging him to the floor with Salah's arm locked.
The first goal was a complete fluke, clever by Benzema but disastrous by Karius.
Liverpool equalised with a terrific Mane goal from Lovren's towering header, but then Gareth Bale came on for Isco and a couple of minutes later scored one of the best goals you'll ever see.
Then Bale hit a shot from about 30 yards straight at Karius who fluffed it into the net.
Real probably deserved the win but it might have been different if Salah hadn't been injured, or maybe if Simon Mignolet had played?

I reckon Joe Hart should get himself to Anfield, Karius made even calamity Joe look good :)

England Songs

Every four years (if we qualify) we get a ton of dodgy World Cup records, now and again there might be a decent one? Heard a few and they aren't the best :(
This one is the best so far, it's actually a Charity record to build a school in Nepal which explains the video.

New Manager

They have announced today that Manuel Pellegrini will be the new West Ham boss.

Can't deny he is experienced and a winner, so seems a bit of a coup to get him here especially as I've read he took a big pay cut from his last job in China.
Hopefully he feels he has something to prove?

Got to wish him well having to deal with Sullivan and Old Lady Brady who keep sticking their nose in when it's not needed.
He's going to have to work on a much tighter budget than his last English job, but the records say he has achieved that in the past.
Wasn't someone I was considering, I thought we would waste most of the summer trying to get the Fat Spanish waiter, who would then turn us down just before next season started leaving us to make a panic appointment at the death.
So he has 3 months to try and recruit quality bargain buys and get rid of the chaff.
Worrying that he liked Joe Hart during his time at City, but hopefully we won't go back there.

Good Luck Manuel ... you'll need it :)

Footy News

Sadly former England full back Ray Wilson died at the age of 1983.
A member of the 1966 England World Cup team, R.I.P :(

Also former West Ham youth and Aston Villa player Jlloyd Samuel died in a car accident at just 37 years of age, R.I.P :(

The managerial casualties are stacking up.
David Moyes - West Ham (Contract not renewed)
Sam Allardyce - Everton (Sacked)
Carlos Carvalhal - Swansea (Contract not renewed)
Paul Lambert - Stoke (Left Club)
Arsene Wenger - Arsenal (Left Club)
 + Any of the following could be going as well for various reasons? Antonio Conte (Chelsea),  Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham), Claude Puel (Leicester), Rafael Benitez (Newcastle), Javi Gracia (Watford).

F.A Cup Predictions

Chelsea win the Cup, decent game with Hazard starring.
Man Utd probably had more of the game but apart from Pogba's miss they never really looked loke scoring.
England Watch: Just 6 English players on view (5 in the England squad), Rasford, Jones and Lingard had games to forget, Young defended well but can't cross the ball, and only Cahill comes out with any credit.

Anyway Congratulations to Longy for winning the 63 game prediction competition :)

Final Table

So here is a virtual Cup for Longy :)

England World Cup Squad

Checked through all the "expert" pages about likely players to make the England World Cup Squad, and came up with this list of names.
We really shouldn't get our hopes up about making the next round as it doesn't look that good whoever goes.

Goalkeepers:
Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Joe Hart, Alex McCarthy, Tom Heaton, Angus Gunn, Fraser Forster, Nick Pope, Ben Foster (Retired)

Foster and Pope are the only ones in form, but I can't see either making the squad?

Defenders:
Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Ryan Bertrand, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, John Stones, Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Aaron Cresswell, Alfie Mawson, Ben Gibson, Chris Smalling, James Tarkowski, Luke Shaw, Michael Keane, Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Joe Gomez (Injured), Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Callum Chambers, Ben Mee (Injured), Ryan Sessegnon, Lewis Dunk, Trent Alexander Arnold, Jamaal Lascelles, Ben Chilwell

Hard to pick any that have had a really great season, maybe Walker, Maguire and Alexander Arnold. The rest have had injuries and been off form or are just too inexperienced.

Midfielders:
Jordan Henderson, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (Injured), Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard, Fabian Delph, Ashley Young, Adam Lallana, Andros Townsend, Danny Drinkwater, Harry Winks (Injured), Jack Cork, Jake Livermore, James Ward Prowse, Theo Walcott, Lewis Cook, Michail Antonio (Injured), Nathan Redmond, Ross Barkley, Ruben Loftus Cheek, Nathaniel Chalobah (Injured), James Milner (Retired), Tom Cleverley, Jonjo Shelvey, Wilfred Zaha (Plays For Ivory Coast), Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho

Raheem Sterling is having a great season, Dele Alli is getting back to form, Lingard, Shelvey and Young have been playing well. The rest have been in and out.

Forwards:
Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Dominic Solanke, Jermain Defoe, Tammy Abraham, Wayne Rooney, Charlie Austin, Peter Crouch, Glenn Murray, Andy Carroll, Dominic Calvert Lewin, Rhian Brewster

Kane not quite back to form, Vardy looks good, Rashford deserves a squad place but then we are struggling.

Squad of 35 to be announced tomorrow.

Prediction Facts 2017-18

2017/2018 Predictions League - All The Facts and Figures.

Most Wins: Paul 10, Lee 8, Paulo 7
Most Predictions: Lee & Paulo 386, Paul & Lawro & Lawro's Guest 384
Most Correct Scores (3 Pointers): Lawro 51, Paulo 43, Paul 37
Most Correct Results (3+1 Pointers): Lee & Lawro 196, Paul & Paulo 190
Most Points: Lawro 298, Paulo 276, Lee 268
Highest Week Score: Paulo 16, Paulo (Twice) & Lee 14
Lowest Score In A Full Week: Longy 1, Biopunk 2 (3 Times), Lawro's Guest 2 (Twice), Lee & Longy & Paul 2 (Once Each)
Best Points Per Game: Lawro's Extra Guest 0.82, Lawro 0.776, Paulo 0.715
Most Predictions Of 0 to 3 Goals: Lawro 379, Paul 358, Lee 334
Most Predictions Of 4 Or More Goals: Lawro's Guest 97, Biopunk 76, Paulo 57
Most Predictions Of A Single Score: Lawro (2-0) 181, Paul (2-0) 116, Biopunk (2-1) 114
Most Predicted Scores: (2-0) 766, (2-1) 578, (1-0) 498
Highest Scoring Correct Prediction: Paulo (5-0), Loads of 4 Goal Correct Scores.

Did I forget Anything?

Final Premier League Prediction Table

The Table If The Guests (Lawro, Lawro's Guests, The Model) Were Included?

Congratulations to Paul, Here is Your Virtual Trophy :)

Fantasy Football

The final table for the "Nothing Better Than Football" FPL League is as follows.

At least I won something :)
Managed 5 wins this season with this one, Rick's Footy Challenge, The Last Leg and 2 of the 3 open Classic leagues I entered (lost the other by 3 points) :(

Keep trying to get more people to enter but only 6 this season.

Telegraph Fantasy Football has another week to run, so will put the final table up after the Cup Final, I think Rick has his revenge by winning that one.

Premier Predictions (Week 38)

Sadly it's the last week of the season :(
Not much left to play for, Tottenham and Liverpool are chasing 3rd, Chelsea need to win and pray Liverpool lose to grab 4th.
Swansea need to gain 10 goals on Southampton to stay up, not totally impossible as they play Stoke who are already relegated and fighting amongst themselves, while the Saints play Man City who just might give someone a real hammering? very unlikely though :)

Burnley v Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v WBA
Huddersfield v Arsenal
Liverpool v Brighton
Man Utd v Watford
Newcastle v Chelsea
Southampton v Man City
Swansea v Stoke
Tottenham v Leicester
West Ham v Everton

Just for Cup completion (not included in week score) the F.A Cup Final next week.
(90 Minute Score only)
Chelsea v Man Utd

Good Luck All :)

World Cup Predictions coming soon, or hopefully see you in August :)

Premier Predictions (Week 37)

Here we go with a "mega" week of football, sorry it's late just realised it starts on Friday night?

* Thinking out loud time*
Just watched two cracking Euro Cup games this week where defending seems to be "a dying art", should be a great final with a ton of goals (or 0-0 and pens?).
Raises the question?? "if Tottenham and Chelsea overhaul Liverpool for the top 4, and Liverpool win the "Champions" League final, and Arsenal win the Europa league, who qualifies for the Champions league next season" ???

Anyway on to this week :)
Games spread over 7 days!! - 1 Friday, 6 Saturday, 3 Sunday, 0 Monday, 1 Tuesday, 4 Wednesday, 1 Thursday.
Still loads to play for with realistically 7 teams still in danger of the drop, West Brom need a miracle, Stoke need 2 wins to have any chance, if Southampton pull off a win at Everton it's "squeaky bum time" for Swansea, Huddersfield, Brighton and sadly West Ham :(
Making next weeks Swans v Saints game a huge match.

At the top Sunday's Chelsea v Liverpool match could be vital with Chelsea still having an outside chance of making the top 4, unlikely as Liverpool play Brighton at home on the last day needing just a point .. probably.
Tottenham have it in their own hands to finish 3rd with 3 "easy" games.

 - - -
Brighton v Man Utd
- - -
Stoke v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v Swansea
Leicester v West Ham
Watford v Newcastle
WBA v Tottenham
Everton v Southampton
- - -
Man City v Huddersfield
Arsenal v Burnley
Chelsea v Liverpool
- - -
Swansea v Southampton
- - -
Chelsea v Huddersfield
Leicester v Arsenal
Man City v Brighton
Tottenham v Newcastle
- - -
West Ham v Man Utd

As for the predictions competition, we are just going through the motions :(
Still with 16 games this week there is a chance for a record score?
Good Luck All :)

Phew!!!! :)

Premier Predictions (Week 36)

A normal week with 10 games spread over 3 days, 7 Saturday, 2 Sunday and a Monday night game.
The most important game is probably the South Coast derby, as Southampton really need to beat their neighbours and put pressure on Swansea in the late game at home to Chelsea.
Palace and Huddersfield both have winnable games meaning a Saints win and anything for Swansea puts West Ham and Brighton back in the mix?
At the top Man U should take advantage of Arsenal being in the middle of their European Semi Final tie, meaning it's just the fight for 3rd place.
Would be shocked if Liverpool or Tottenham dropped points this week, but Tottenham have the easier looking run in, so they could grab 3rd if Harry Kane manages to touch the ball (which he hasn't done much since his comeback from injury).

Liverpool v Stoke
Burnley v Brighton
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Huddersfield v Everton
Newcastle v WBA
Southampton v Bournemouth
Swansea v Chelsea

West Ham v Man City
Man Utd v Arsenal
Tottenham v Watford

Good Luck All :)

Paul has one hand on the virtual Trophy as both Me or Paulo need to win the last 3 rounds to pip him :(

Premier Predictions (Week 35 + FA Cup )

After last weeks 14 game marathon, this week is a short sprint with just 8 games.
6 Premier League games + the 2 FA Cup Semi Finals (90 Minute scores only for the Cup games).
All games count for the week, Cup games also count for the Cup competition.
Prem games are 2 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday and one on Monday.

West Brom are still alive ... just, but in reality need to win their last 4 games?
Big weekend for Stoke, Palace, Swansea and West Ham at the bottom, and Liverpool at the top.

WBA v Liverpool
Watford v Crystal Palace
Man Utd v Tottenham (FAC)

Arsenal v West Ham
Stoke v Burnley
Chelsea v Southampton (FAC)
Man City v Swansea

Everton v Newcastle

Good Luck All :)

Premier Predictions (Week 34)

Week 34 Extra - 10 games + 4 Re-arranged games.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday games.

Southampton v Chelsea
Burnley v Leicester
Crystal Palace v Brighton
Huddersfield v Watford
Swansea v Everton
Liverpool v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Man City
-------
Newcastle v Arsenal
Man Utd v WBA
-------
West Ham v Stoke
-------
Brighton v Tottenham
-------
Bournemouth v Man Utd
-------
Burnley v Chelsea
Leicester v Southampton

Good Luck All :)

Useless Facts:
Here is what the table would have been if all the "experts" results had been included.
Don't worry Paul, I'm not planning a rule change :)

Premier Predictions (Week 33)

Just 6 weeks to go :(
8 Games on Saturday and 2 games on Sunday.
The Manchester derby is the big one with City needing a win to take the title with 6 games to spare, lunchtime also sees the Mersey derby, and Sunday has West Ham going to Chelsea.
A few relegation 6 pointers thrown in making it a good week for footie.

Everton v Liverpool
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Huddersfield
Leicester v Newcastle
Stoke v Tottenham
Watford v Burnley
WBA v Swansea
Man City v Man Utd

Arsenal v Southampton
Chelsea v West Ham

Good Luck All :)

For the Record (Still to come)
Week 34 - 10 Games + 4 Re-arranged matches = 14
Week 35 - 6 Games + 2 FA Cup matches = 8
Week 36 - 10 Games
Week 37 - 10 Games + 6 Re-arranged matches = 16 !!
Week 38 - 10 Games +  The FA Cup Final*
(* Not included in the week scores, but just to complete the Cup Competition)

R.I.P Ray Wilkins

Sad to hear that Ray "Butch" Wilkins passed away today after falling ill at the weekend, only 61years of age :(

Despite being an ex Chelsea player and the master of the sideways pass, I really liked him.
Loved him doing the voice over on the old Tango advert :)
and a favourite moment came in an England friendly away to Argentina in 1977 which was being shown live on TV.
The ball went out of play and an Argentinian ball boy was taking his time returning it, Wilkins went up to him smiling and said "give me the fucking ball" which was picked up by pitch side microphones, much to the annoyance of the TV commentators who spent a while apologising for any foul language we may have overheard :)

Premier Predictions (Week 32)

Just one round of games for this Easter weekend (not like the old days), 8 games on Saturday and 2 on Sunday.
The big game this week is obviously the Hammers v Saints game, Southampton winning their first game under Hughes and West Ham will be feeling the pressure after the last home game. Hopefully the international performances of Arnautovic and Lanzini will mean at least some of them are confident?
Sunday sees the 4th place shoot out between Tottenham and Chelsea.
If the results go Man City's way this week the title could be over next week after the Manc derby?

Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Brighton v Leicester
Man Utd v Swansea
Newcastle v Huddersfield
Watford v Bournemouth
WBA v Burnley
West Ham v Southampton
Everton v Man City

Arsenal v Stoke
Chelsea v Tottenham

7 Rounds to go and Paul has a 3 game lead, Longy needs to win all 7 (needs some of that Cup form), the rest of us are also close to needing a miracle.

Good Luck All :)

Fantasy Football Update

Predictions League - All The Facts So Far

TFF - NBTF Table

FPL - NBTF Table

Premier Predictions (Week 31) + F.A Cup (Part 4)

There are just 4 Premier League games this week, so I've added the 4 F.A Cup games into the mix as well giving just 8 games to choose. (One set of predictions = 2 competitions)
Cup games will be the score at 90 minutes + injury time, so not including any extra time played (as far as I know there are no replays from the Quarter finals onwards).
6 Games on Saturday and 2 on Sunday.
The league games feature 3 relegation six pointers, and Liverpool hoping to go 3rd.
In the Cup Chelsea, Tottenham and Man Utd will all be hoping to go through after being knocked out of Europe already.

Swansea v Tottenham (FAC)
Bournemouth v WBA
Huddersfield v Crystal Palace
Stoke v Everton
Liverpool v Watford
Man Utd v Brighton (FAC)

Wigan v Southampton (FAC)
Leicester v Chelsea (FAC)

Good Luck All :)

Looking on the Bright Side

Noble plays "hide the flagpole" ..... that's gonna hurt :)

Joe Hart tried to catch one of the pitch invaders but he slipped through his fingers.

Premier Predictions (Week 30)

Week 30, just 9 more game weeks to go :(
The 12 team relegation battle goes on plus the challenge for 2nd place, only Arsenal and Burnley have little to fight for.
Obviously the big game is the early Saturday match between Man Utd and Liverpool, but some big games for the relegation fighters.
Poor week for the European teams except Arsenal who were excellent at Milan surprisingly.
7 Games on Saturday, 2 on Sunday and Man City play on Monday to possibly move 5 points from the title?

Man Utd v Liverpool
Everton v Brighton
Huddersfield v Swansea
Newcastle v Southampton
WBA v Leicester
West Ham v Burnley
Chelsea v Crystal Palace

Arsenal v Watford
Bournemouth v Tottenham

Stoke v Man City

Good Luck All :)