Author: JCE

So we’re waiting on JE (as per usual) and LS.. luckily Paul Merson was around to provide KMFE her picks as she tries to come up with a new methodology.

Here are the predictions that some of us (or Paul Merson) have made and the lucky guesses that ME put forward.

This weeks Comments

It’s hard to know how some of the games might go as many of the players were out trick or treating earlier in the week.

KMFE: “Using Paul Merson’s picks this week as a test (William Hill, you haven’t helped me!)… Hoping they’re not too coke-addled and drunken…”
I actually tracked Paul Merson a couple of years ago as SuperComputer 2.  He was better than Mark Lawrenson but he also forgot to pick mid-week games.

BE:  “If ME does well again this week, I think I will have to start copying his predictions this year!”
They’re guesses not predictions.  You’re a second half player….. and he’s like Spurs….shows promise but never wins in the end.

ME:  “Newcastle are really struggling and your Moosemen should dispose of them.”
You can’t lose every home game and it’s about time but I hope you’re right.  It’s nice to be in the top half of the table.

ME: “West Ham are rubbish but so are Burnley… I think I will choose the home team.”
You stole my go to analysis!

ME: “Fulham are struggling as are Huddersfield..expect both to go down…but Fulham really are pretty dire and will probably lose this one…of course I could be wrong or right…who knows!!”

BE wants to copy this?

AB’s Trivia Corner
This week AB provided another piece of strange football trivia:

In 1992, Stig Inge Bjornebye signed with Liverpool with a clause forbidding being within 200 meters of a ski slope. Seems somewhat harsh on a Norwegian.  Not only was Bjornebye a keen skier, but also had followed his dad’s passion for ski jumping. His father, Jo Inge, was an Olympic ski jumper for Norway.

Analysis

I’m forgoing analysis this week to instead show you what some of the players were dressed as for this Halloween week.

Hugo decided that if he couldn’t drive while drinking he would direct traffic while being a drink.

Rooney doesn’t play in England anymore and definitely not for England but that didn’t stop him going in his England cap costume.

Shaqiri went to his party as the great british comedian Loads-a-money Stavros.

Anyone seen Adam Lallana?

And while most teams don’t pay most of their staff a livable wage  (you can sign the petition). Sanchez wanted to go as someone “made of money”…

KDB went in this rather amusing gown ..

Some players just didn’t want to participate.

But the winner of the best costume had to be John Terry

That’s all we have time for.

Here are this weeks picks.  I thought it would end up being more difficult than it has ended up being so far.

ME is currently winning as he has an exact, a difference, a draw, wins but NOTHING wrong.

Despite this great performance, prognosticator of the week goes to AM who predicted that Watford a.k.a. the “mighty meese” would thump the opposition 3-0!  Well done.

Guesses (subject to change)Some key comments:

ME:
“I have Spurs for a win but I think my head didn’t have much to do with this decision; I expect to be the only Spurs picker.”
Obviously.

“Unfortunately, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U could all win..”
With you on four of those.

“I am supporting your Moosemen this week hoping they are over their little blip.”
Not like AM though!

“Enjoy the wedding.”
You were asked about.  I lied and said you looked and were well 🙂

BB:  “I do like the fact I couldn’t put Chelsea down to score 40. Nice.”
I can change that if you really think that’s going to be the score 🙂  I should put checks in to stop people having Spuds score more goals than Citeh!

JE:  “I should have had those three ribs. Food on the plane was horrendous.”
How can a chicken sandwich with no chicken be bad?  It’s just bread.

KMFE: “Dear Arsenal, Figure out what to do with Danny Welbeck. He’s still pretty good.”
Perhaps Citeh will buy him!  He needs to move to a team to play.. He’s better than a bench-warmer.  I’d trade Andre Grey and/or Deeney for him.

Here are the weeks.  Just one left to pick – see if you can guess who!

This Weeks Comments

AM: No time for idle chat this week. Ryder Cup looming so gotta get to bed, up early – first tee time UK time is 07:10. Go Europe. 🙂
Looks like Europe got up late on the first day.  Here’s hoping it’s a friendly affair as I’m a bit tired of it ending up like a Duncan Ferguson era Merseyside derby.

BB: “I did enjoy the look that Mourinho gave Pogba at the training ground. I think that there may be a little bit of resentment setting in with regard to their relationship. ”
I know you like to rewrite song lyrics so here we go trying with Never Tear Us Apart (INXS):

Pretty crappy effort.

ME: I can’t find Spuds v Watford in the fixtures!
Well since our 2nd team lost to your 1st and 1/2 team in the Milk Cup we won’t be meeting again in that competition.

ME: Spuds must show a really positive attitude and get a good result! Please….
Getting desperate.. where are your team playing their next game? Milton Keynes again?

KMFE: Trying an experiment this week picking with odds quoted by the newly-legal sports books in NJ and other states… Let’s see how right they are…
Not a bad strategy.  Betwin.com finished quite well last year as I tracked them week over week!  Good luck – if it works you could automate this!

For those that don’t know when we were in NY we saw loads of these posters as they just made gambling on sports legal in the USA (kind of).

AA: Insert witty, informed-sounding comment about strikers and loaned players, criticism of managers and tut tuts about that one player who can’t seem to keep from falling apart at exactly the wrong moment. Followed up by slightly off-colour inside joke

Looks like Aaron Ramsey’s contract renewal has hit a snag and he may go on a free transfer at the end of the year.  He could go on loan like Wilshere last year in order to gain regular first team injuries as Unai Emery doesn’t seem to understand he’s the critical link man.    In other news, Chelsea released their tactics recently not realizing that they have an infinite loop.

And I think I’ve discovered what’s wrong with Sanchez!

The inspiration for this is the following amusing video….not quite Fenton but not bad.

The following is how long I spent making my picks this week: