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.

Predicting away wins galore!

I have this program i wrote that does predictions. Laugh at these for this weekend in the Premiership:

Sat 15 - Sun 16 Dec 2007
1. Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea (Away)
2. Birmingham 0-1 Reading (Away)
3. Derby 0-1 M'boro (Away)
4. Fulham 3-3 Newcastle (Draw)
5. Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Home) (No way! after Reading?)
6. Man City 2-0 Bolton (Home)
7. Portsmouth 2-2 Tottenham (Draw)
8. Sunderland 0-2 Villa (Away)
9. West Ham 0-2 Everton (Away)
10. Wigan 0-2 Blackburn (Away)

Compare to Lawro's predictions.

Throught the wind and the rain

And boy is it windy at present. Attempts to see some football on Boxing Day have met the wall that is Premiership demand and availability. Forty quid to see the reds at Derby but little chance of a ticket! Looks like we will have to consider another match. It use to be so easy. Only for the odd cup match and a very few league was it necessary to get a ticket in advance; and two quid to get in! I am showing my age. Still the access via TV is loads better, if not free.

Feisty Football

Derby matches can be dreadful either because the football is not pretty or because the result is the wrong way. You takes you chances and I have come away from many happy but with friends supporting the opposition so celebrations have been muted and very down when they prevailed. But so much better to be there than stuck by a radio. Today's Liverpool derby was battle of penalties and still Liverpool have to concede a goal from open play; today's we scored for them. I reckon Rafa is missing his side kick - well something must explain some of the strange decisions to date but we will take the luck this time.

Anyway illness is still plaguing the family and restricting movement which is a shame as I love this time of year. Must make some firm plans very soon or I will retired before I am half way to my target!

Autumn browns

Its mad this season. Numerous 1-0 Premiership scorelines and then we get the other extreme of 7-4! It's all gone nuts.

Thoughts of visiting Elland Road today until a recent illness downed me. Try again in a few weeks or maybe I'll try mid week somewhere close.

The count down begins

The new season is nearly upon and I say bring it on!

Close season blues

We are all waiting for that news bulletin telling us our team has signed some football genius that will bring great glory next season. Who are those up for grabs? Well some names are clear but very few of interest to my club. Clearer is those who are to leave. We need at great striker, not good great. The other big three in England have a least one £20m striker of world class renown. We have good but not brilliant. We have never successfully replaced Owen or Fowler when they were at their best. Where is the next Ian Rush?