And a rare prediction for L2

1. Accrington 2-2 Brentford (Draw)
2. Aldershot 0-1 Wycombe (Away win)
3. Bournem'th 0-0 Chester (Draw)
4. Bradford 3-2 Dagenham (Home win)
5. Darlington 2-0 Rochdale (Home win)
6. Exeter 2-0 Lincoln (Home win)
7. Gillingham 4-0 Chesterfld (Home win)
8. Luton 2-0 Barnet (Home win)
9. Macclesf'd 1-3 Bury (Away win)
10. Notts Co. 2-2 Morecambe (Draw)
11. Port Vale 0-2 Grimsby (Away win)
12. Shrewsbury 2-0 Rotherham (Home win)

Well, if true some of my relations will be vary happy - c'mon you Mariners?!

ANy better this weekend?

Well Lawro says: predictions.

While Footy has:
Saturday 6th Dec
1. 12:45pm Fulham 3-2 Man City (Home win)
2. 3:00pm Arsenal 1-0 Wigan (Home win)
3. 3:00pm Blackburn 0-2 Liverpool (Away win)
4. 3:00pm Bolton 0-2 Chelsea (Away win)
5. 3:00pm Hull 0-2 M'boro (Away win)
6. 3:00pm Newcastle 2-0 Stoke (Home win)
7. 5:30pm Man Utd 5-0 Sunderland (Home win)
Sunday 7th Dec.
8. 3:00pm WBA 0-2 Portsmouth (Away win)
9. 4:00pm Everton 0-0 Villa (Draw)
Monday 8th Dec.
10. 8:00pm West Ham 0-1 Tottenham (Away win)

And the fun (tension) continues

Lawro's Predictions
Saturday Oct 25
Everton v Man Utd (12:00) 1-1
Sunderland v Newcastle (12:45) 2-2
West Brom v Hull (15:00) 2-0
Blackburn v M'bro (17:30) 2-0

Sunday Oct 26
Chelsea v Liverpool (13:30) 0-0
Man City v Stoke (15:00) 2-0
Tottenham v Bolton (15:00) 2-0
Wigan v Aston Villa (15:00) 1-2
West Ham v Arsenal (16:00) 0-2
Portsmouth v Fulham (17:00) 2-1

Footy's predictions
Sat 25 Oct 2008
12:00pm Everton 0-2 Man Utd (Away win)
12:45pm Sunderland 2-0 Newcastle (Home win)
3:00pm WBA 0-1 Hull (Away win)
5:30pm Blackburn 2-0 M'boro (Home win)

Sun 26 Oct 2008
1:30pm Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (Draw)
3:00pm Man City 4-0 Stoke (Home win)
3:00pm Tottenham 2-3 Bolton (Away win)
3:00pm Wigan 0-2 Villa (Away win)
3:00pm Wigan 3-2 Newcastle (Home win)
4:00pm West Ham 2-4 Arsenal (Away win)
5:00pm Portsmouth 2-0 Fulham (Home win)

How did we do?

Sat 04 Oct 2008
1. Blackburn: 0 Man Utd: 2 (Me - spot on)
2. Sunderland: 1 Arsenal: 1 (Both wrong)
3. WBA: 1 Fulham: 0 (Both wrong)
4. Wigan: 0 M'boro: 1 (Both wrong)

7:16 PM, Sun 05 Oct 2008
1. Chelsea: 2 Villa: 0 (Lawro - correct result)
2. Everton: 2 Newcastle: 2 (Both wrong)
3. Man City: 2 Liverpool: 3 (Me - correct result)
4. Portsmouth: 2 Stoke: 1 (Both correct result)
5. Tottenham: 0 Hull: 1 (Me spot on!)
6. West Ham: 1 Bolton: 3 (Both wrong)

Footy: 4 out of 10 correct results, 2 spot on!
Lawro: 2 out of 10 correct results

Better off with a flip of a coin! But no - it would need three sides so I beat the monkey with a three sided coin; home win, draw or away win. He would have got 3.34 results correct.

Lawro's Prediction for comparison

In full here.

Sat 04 Oct 2008
1. 3:00pm Blackburn 2-2 Man Utd - major difference!
2. 3:00pm Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal (Away win)
3. 3:00pm WBA 1-1 Fulham (Draw)
4. 3:00pm Wigan 2-1 M'boro (Home win)

Sun 05 Oct 2008
1. 3:00pm Chelsea 2-1 Villa - major difference!
2. 3:00pm Everton 2-0 Newcastle (Home win)
3. 3:00pm Man City 1-1 Liverpool - major difference!
4. 3:00pm Portsmouth 2-0 Stoke (Home win)
5. 3:00pm Tottenham 2-0 Hull - major difference!
6. 3:00pm West Ham 2-0 Bolton (Home win)

Hmm, interesting, a few major differences of opinion. His predictions were done Thursday so after the Champions League matches. Chelsea had a few injuries so Mark's prediction seems optimistic for blues fans. And both Manchester teams drawing is different. So who will be more accurate Footy or Lawro?

First Footy Predictions of 2008

Sat 04 Oct 2008
1. 3:00pm Blackburn 0-2 Man Utd (Away win)
2. 3:00pm Man City 0-2 Liverpool (Away win)
3. 3:00pm Sunderland 0-4 Arsenal (Away win)
4. 3:00pm WBA 0-0 Fulham (Draw)
5. 3:00pm Wigan 2-1 M'boro (Home win)
Sun 05 Oct 2008
1. 3:00pm Chelsea 0-0 Villa (Draw)
2. 3:00pm Everton 1-0 Newcastle (Home win)
3. 3:00pm Portsmouth 3-2 Stoke (Home win)
4. 3:00pm Tottenham 0-1 Hull (Away win)
5. 3:00pm West Ham 2-1 Bolton (Home win)

Will it manage better than the monkey with the coin - low hopes to be honest.

Christie Park - Morecambe 1-1 Grimsby

If you've seen this ground on TV (like I had) the reality isn't as impressive. Still a nice lower league ground with stands on three sides and a chance to stand! Away visitors car park was under used as most probably joined us on the local roads. As seems usual in Lancashire we had entertainment from local kids dancing before the match in the form of the Shrimpettes.

Game was usual fare. Annoyingly my tea didn't come with any milk? The half time presentation was awful - who was that guy? Still we were bathed in sun - actually no we weren't because we have a roof over us for a change. Anyway another one on the list.

Get in there!

Now that's what I call a football match. About time on two counts, the result and a decent performance this season. Usual mind games from Sir F before hand. I wonder if he thinks it worked?

The Mancs are coming to town

Never much enjoyed this fixture.  It doesn't usually end well and too often includes some controversy against us.  I fear a dour nil-nil draw ruined by a later winner for them.

Back but not firing

I reckon many of the clubs with players in either or both the Euro Championship or the Olympics will continue suffering for a few weeks to come yet. It's the points that matter; oh, ad it is a marathon not a sprint - I believe ;-).

It'scoming back

At last we have something to save us from the endless repeats on TV - football is back. i even listened to Championship football yesterday. Nice one Liliwhites.

The Closed Season

What no football?

So what of the end of season

And so how will it all end? Well this is what Footy thinks (sucess rate just over 50%! not good hey, why not just flip a coin?)

Sun 11 May 2008
1. 3:00pm Birmingham 0-2 Blackburn (Away win)
2. 3:00pm Chelsea 5-0 Bolton (Home win)
3. 3:00pm Derby 0-2 Reading (Away win)
4. 3:00pm Everton 1-1 Newcastle (Draw)
5. 3:00pm M'boro 0-2 Man City (Away win)
6. 3:00pm Portsmouth 0-2 Fulham (Away win)
7. 3:00pm Sunderland 2-4 Arsenal (Away win)
8. 3:00pm Tottenham 2-4 Liverpool (Away win)
9. 3:00pm West Ham 0-3 Villa (Away win)
10. 3:00pm Wigan 0-2 Man Utd (Away win)

Penalties

Data supplied by Footy

Penalties scored by team
1st	Chelsea	7
2nd	Birmingham City	6
3rd	Arsenal	5
4th	Aston Villa	5
5th	Blackburn Rovers	5
6th	Liverpool	5
7th	Manchester United	5
8th	Portsmouth	4
9th	Tottenham Hotspur	4
10th	Wigan Athletic	4
11th	Fulham	3
12th	Newcastle United	3
13th	Manchester City	2
14th	Reading	2
15th	West Ham United	2
16th	Middlesbrough	1
17th	Sunderland	1
18th	Bolton Wanderers	0
19th	Derby County	0
20th	Everton	0

Easy to surmise why Derby never had a penalty but Everton?

Footy predictions: for April showers!

Sat 12 Apr 2008
1. 3:00pm Birmingham 0-2 Everton (Away win)
2. 3:00pm Bolton 1-2 West Ham (Away win)
3. 3:00pm Chelsea 2-0 Wigan (Home win)
4. 3:00pm Derby 0-2 Villa (Away win)
5. 3:00pm Liverpool 2-0 Blackburn (Home win) - Hmm, no so sure myself.
6. 3:00pm Man Utd 2-1 Arsenal (Home win) - this is a title decider (one of several though)
7. 3:00pm Portsmouth 3-1 Newcastle (Home win)
8. 3:00pm Reading 3-2 Fulham (Home win)
9. 3:00pm Sunderland 1-1 Man City (Draw)
10. 3:00pm Tottenham 3-1 M'boro (Home win)
Sat 19 Apr 2008
1. 3:00pm Arsenal 2-0 Reading (Home win)
2. 3:00pm Blackburn 0-2 Man Utd (Away win)
3. 3:00pm Everton 0-2 Chelsea (Away win)
4. 3:00pm Fulham 0-2 Liverpool (Away win)
5. 3:00pm Man City 2-2 Portsmouth (Draw)
6. 3:00pm M'boro 2-0 Bolton (Home win)
7. 3:00pm Newcastle 0-0 Sunderland (Draw)
8. 3:00pm West Ham 2-0 Derby (Home win)
9. 3:00pm Wigan 2-0 Tottenham (Home win)
Sun 20 Apr 2008
1. 4:00pm Villa 2-1 Birmingham (Home win)
Sat 26 Apr 2008
1. 3:00pm Birmingham 0-2 Liverpool (Away win) - would be nice but doubtful
2. 3:00pm Chelsea 1-1 Man Utd (Draw) - another title decider!
3. 3:00pm Derby 1-2 Arsenal (Away win)
4. 3:00pm Everton 2-0 Villa (Home win)
5. 3:00pm Man City 2-1 Fulham (Home win)
6. 3:00pm Portsmouth 4-2 Blackburn (Home win)
7. 3:00pm Sunderland 0-0 M'boro (Draw)
8. 3:00pm Tottenham 2-0 Bolton (Home win)
9. 3:00pm West Ham 1-1 Newcastle (Draw)
10. 3:00pm Wigan 2-0 Reading (Home win)

and then onto May and the final 2 games.

Race Course Ground Mk II

Back to the Race course on Saturday to lift my voodoo on Grimsby. The stadium is a nice little ground with modern stands on all sides. The pitch seemed more like a dessert with the plumes of sand being kicked up with almost every kick.
The crowd only just broke the four thousand mark but with the home side at the very bottom of the league and Grimsby some distance away perhaps understandable. Last time I was here, late eighties, I think the stands were wood and I was watching an international match. The fare that day was better with the Welsh taking on Holland I seem to recall. This time not a goal in sight. Classic case of ground is bigger than the team (for the time being).

Havant a chance?

Unbelievable they scored, twice. So our defending lets us down again. The recruit clearly isn't up to speed but then Vidic took his time and he was in close season two weeks ago. Glad they enjoyed their day, it was never going to our day unless we slaughtered them and that doesn't happen too often; especially when you're already having a rough time of it.

The Messiah?

He's back and I welcome his return after all I still treasure a couple of 4-3 scorelines! Meanwhile can we get back to the football and did you see that UEFA are talking about more officials on the pitch?

Prediction successes for w/e 12/13 Jan

Sat 12 Jan 2008
X Arsenal: 1 Birmingham: 1
RR Villa: 3 Reading: 1
RR Chelsea: 2 Tottenham: 0
CS Derby: 0 Wigan: 1
RR Everton: 1 Man City: 0
RR Man Utd: 6 Newcastle: 0
X M'boro: 1 Liverpool: 1
RR West Ham: 2 Fulham: 1
Sun 13 Jan 2008
X Bolton: 1 Blackburn: 2
X Sunderland: 2 Portsmouth: 0

So 5 right results, 1 correct scoreline and 4 wrong. No brilliant but better than spinning a coin.

FA Cup replays are fun

Unless you lose of course! I am not sure about second and third replays though. Not that they were ever frequent, most big teams prefer to risk losing rather than another game. Ah, well - still 0-0 in tonight's game!

Champs elect again?

So do you believe Footy's prediction?

Pos.	Team	Pts	plus	(from)	Total	[Max]
1st	Manchester United	51	+46	(16)	=97	[99]
2nd	Arsenal	51	+42	(16)	=93	[99]
3rd	Chelsea	47	+46	(16)	=93	[95]
4th	Everton	39	+40	(16)	=79	[87]
5th	Aston Villa	39	+35	(16)	=74	[87]
6th	Liverpool	39	+34	(17)	=73	[90]
7th	Portsmouth	34	+27	(17)	=61	[85]
8th	Manchester City	39	+19	(16)	=58	[87]
9th	Tottenham Hotspur	24	+29	(16)	=53	[72]
10th	West Ham United	32	+20	(17)	=52	[83]
11th	Blackburn Rovers	33	+19	(17)	=52	[84]
12th	Bolton Wanderers	20	+25	(17)	=45	[71]
13th	Reading	22	+18	(16)	=40	[70]
14th	Wigan Athletic	20	+19	(16)	=39	[68]
15th	Newcastle United	26	+9	(16)	=35	[74]
16th	Middlesbrough	21	+14	(16)	=35	[69]
17th	Birmingham City	20	+6	(16)	=26	[68]
18th	Sunderland	17	+5	(17)	=22	[68]
19th	Fulham	15	+5	(16)	=20	[63]
20th	Derby County	7	+0	(16)	=7	[55]

Back to home glories

More predictions from Footy:

Sat 12 Jan 2008
1. 3:00pm Arsenal 3-2 Birmingham (Home win)
2. 3:00pm Villa 4-2 Reading (Home win)
3. 3:00pm Chelsea 3-2 Tottenham (Home win)
4. 3:00pm Derby 0-1 Wigan (Away win)
5. 3:00pm Everton 5-0 Man City (Home win)
6. 5:15pm Man Utd 2-0 Newcastle (Home win)
7. 3:00pm M'boro 0-2 Liverpool (Away win)
8. 3:00pm West Ham 3-1 Fulham (Home win)
Sun 13 Jan 2008
1. 4:00pm Bolton 1-1 Blackburn (Draw)
2. 1:30pm Sunderland 0-2 Portsmouth (Away win)

I have to say where my team is concerned these prediction are not reliable but then that's football for you!

Vale Park

So I made it to Vale Park on Boxing Day. This is a nice little ground but currently the football doesn't do it justice. The Valiants went ahead with a great strike in the first half but Walsall always looked dangerous. Even in the second half when the visitors went down to ten men Vale were playing it cautious, far too caution for a home side one up and with a man extra. I counted nine shots at goal by the home side but a mere two on target; one of those being the goal. the Saddlers duly equalized in the ninetieth minute.