The F.A. Cup has been played.  International friendly matches have been played so it’s time to get back into the groove.

I haven’t sorted out everyone’s entries this week yet but that’s because of one of the many excuses I have…. got jigsaw puzzles that don’t build themselves, TV shows that need viewers or they won’t get advertising, food that volunteered as dinner, sleeping that needs catching up on… and of course I needed to do research for the last few weeks to try and catch up with the leader (and stay ahead of the pack).

This weeks quotes:
AM: “Happy Easter. BIG push starts right HERE!”
For GGMU or for you?  Happy Easter all around.

JE: “Haven’t watched any recent footy.”
Already starting with the excuses!

JE:”Watford win again. Big game Chelsea and spurs. I think Chelsea will steal it near the end. “
I wish I was as confident about the Moosemen.  We’ve been pretty dire and as long as we stick with Deeney up-front I’m not sure where the goals are coming from (this is taking into consideration that Deulefeu isn’t around to dive in the box, Richarlison wants to be elsewhere, and Doucoure is already thinking of his summer move to United to replace the Pogs.

ME: “It’s getting rather congested at the bottom and I’m not sure who is going to make the great escape. So I will predict a few draws with just a handful of goals.”
In other words, you are continuing your practice of guessing.  It does seem that youhave taken on the advice of BE who informed you that you have increased odds of scoring high if you pick draws.

Obvious CaptionKMFE: “Won’t end up watching a ton of these, but look like fun games on the whole. After the asinine interview Karren Brady gave the Guardian this week, I am rooting a bit for Pin the Tail on the West Ham Donkeys… ”
Poor Joe Hart.

Quick Match Summary
Whenever I do these summaries I end up with a lousy weekly score.  For some reason it’s almost as if documenting my thoughts cements failure.  I’m doing it this week anyway just for you (that would be BE/ME/JE – I don’t think anyone else reads this).

Arsenal V Stoke City
Aubameyang will not score against a really quality Stoke team that will look to maintain a great run with another victory.

Brighton & Hove Albion V Leicester City
Either Brighton or Leicester will dominate and many goals will be scored at each end.  The final result will definitely not be two teams tied.

Chelsea V Tottenham Hotspur
Spuds are without Kane but “Nice One” Son will score a hat-trick at least and Chelsea will end the day firmly entrenched as a favorite for the coveted Europe League place.

Crystal Palace V Liverpool
Palace usually have no problem scoring but  Liverpool are renowned for their strong defensive posture.  It can only be 0-0.

Everton V Manchester City
Citeh are a modest team who have fans that will not want to win the title at Old Trafford – there is tremendous respect between the Eastland fans of Manchester and the Red Devil fans of Trafford and Beyond.  A surprise Everton win.

Manchester United V Swansea City
Unlike Liverpool, Manchester United are an attacking force with no designs on ever defending.  This will be a goal fest with Swansea eeking out a win.

Newcastle United V Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield are a power away from home and will score a great victory.  The Newcastle fans will still feel that everything is on the right path and will stage a peaceful pitch invasion to beg the current ownership to stay on and not make any hasty decisions on setting up a transfer kitty.

Watford V Bournemouth
The hornets have been on a great run since the disappointing start of the season despite the amicable parting of ways with Silva but the Cherries are a huge team and will probably score a victory.

West Bromwich Albion V Burnley
The Boing Boings are due a boing (they never got their Pardew bounce) and Burnley are forever a disappointment to their fans.  Should be an easy home win unless something shocking happens.

West Ham United V Southampton
It’s the end of the year and the Hammers finally feel comfortable in their new home.   Big victory for the team with the best CEO in the country.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Not including the picks this week as we’re still waiting for a few entries.

This week’s big game is Liverpool and Spurs.  I’m not sure why this is a such a big deal – two teams vying for a top four finish with no aspirations of winning the league.  In fact, it’s been many years since either team won the league.

How long you ask?

But then as a Watford fan I should act all smart about it unless I point out the graphic for the Moosemen.

This Weeks Comments and Asides

This weekend my team, the Eagles (and I don’t mean Crystal Palace) , will face off against the Patriots in American non-round football.  I’ve been looking for information to help decide who will win and decided that the Panda wins:

This is because Panda’s are clearly smarter than Porcupines but maybe not as cute (needs volume):

 

AB:  Presented me with a link to Goalkeepers non-saving contributions https://www.footbie.com/video/top-10-goalkeeper-goals

This was timely as I had just read the story of Jimmy Glass and how his heroics impacted his life (and not really for the better, sadly)

BE:  “Trying to keep the faith with Arsenal”

Every year Arsenal fans complain and every year they used to finish in the Top 4……

ME: “Deep analysis has caused me weeks of poor predictions… this week I have guessed without thought!”

This was followed by an summary and rationale for the picking of multiple games.  It included picking Citeh to win and Watford to lose… don’t know about others but I wouldn’t classify those picks under “analysis”.

KMFE: “Why do we have to be the early game? I need my beauty rest ;-)…”

You could always skip the Citeh game and watch the Hornets on Monday.   Both games will be one sided and an easy win for one of the teams involved!

Silly Season is Over

Finally we are done with the January transfer window (except Leicester who have to deal with an upset Mahrez).   In many ways it’s sad how football teams operate these days.

 

I’m not picking on the Trafford team but Sanchez is a key player in the news:

“It also claims Sanchez makes almost as much during one half of football than the annual salary of some cleaning, catering and security staff who work at Old Trafford (£14,625), that it would take someone on the minimum wage 41 years to earn the £600,000 the Chilean takes home each week, and that his agent’s reported £15 million fee would be enough to fund Living Wage pay rises of almost £2,500 for 6,100 low-paid workers.”

http://www.citizensuk.org/manchester_divided_the_true_cost_of_alexis_sanchez_s_record_400_000_a_week_salary

… only West Ham, Chelsea, Everton pay the minimum living wage (Watford are dead last) which is embarrassing and I will be sending an e-mail.

http://www.citizensuk.org/premier_league_clubs_in_league_of_shame

Sorry for the political bent this week but in the age of big money I do think the clubs ca do a little more.

Round 21 is not yet complete with the Spurs vs West Ham game having been re-scheduled so the following round is “pending finalization”.  There are still between 0-4 points available which is more than enough given that we were all rather useless at predicting the following:

• The Referee giving a penalty for a defender defending n the penalty area
• Watford missing a sitter and giving up two goals in the last 5 minutes
• Chelsea scoring FIVE goals
• A large number of 0-0 scores
• Man City goalless at Crystal Palace

Here were the weeks guesses – I’ve hidden the final result still so come so that no-one can cheat*

Advice

Usually, I advise myself to go with the gut and stick to it.  The extra two days this week gave me an opportunity to re-evaluate my picks… and I changed two of my picks at the last minute – one to a draw, one to a 0-0 draw.  This yielded six of my eight points (and puts me in the lead).  I can thank writing up scores for this because my brain kept remembering me writing “If any game has 0-0 written all over it it’s this one” for a game I picked 1-0 and ended 0-0.

I decided to go with my gut this time and not my brain.  I also think I changed Man United from a draw to a win so there’s that.

So my advice to all of you: Stick with your gut unless your gut is wrong!

*BE
Because you don’t know how to cheat, I’ll explain.  IF AM knew what ME had picked for Spuds vs West Ham he could improve the odds of him winning the week by choosing the same score and assuming that ME did not change his pick.  This would effectively guarantee keeping him ahead of ME.

That’s if he was a lousy cheat,of course. A good one would pick a different result knowing that ME only has 4 points and is blinded by his love for potato chickens!

Don’t forget to pick the next games if you haven’t.  Repick if you want.  I’ve got a single form for the fixture above.

Week 22
Week 23
Week 21 – Spuds vs Hammers

And if you want to get ahead

Week 24

Another quick post!  I am compiling the half-year stats as we speak and I will be announcing the winner very soon!  This weeks winner was always going to be heavily luck based given results that were never going to be predicted.  I don’t think anyone has ever guessed 5-2 before!

Alternatively, with the results being what they were, only the most skilled and knowledgeable prediction analyst had any hope of winning really.

This weeks Comments (and a Couple from last week)

AM: “I wish Watford would make their minds up!”
I know, it’s all a little too Eurovision 1981 for me

“. . .and United shape up. All costing me precious points here!”
And DDG is not helping my Fantasy team anymore! Lukaku isn’t helping anyone’s!  Time for a new manager…. and the next sad realisation that Sir Alex is still retired and a little to the East is a better team.

“ME will be up to his eyes in sherry so he’ll not be much use over the festive period!”
I think he’ll take second this week!

ME: “Just doing this before travelling south.. not a lot of time so no detailed analysis this week! Fast guesswork to the fore!!”
Oh, that explains it.

JE:” Must find time to do a write up for you. “
Just like your United team… so much promise and just don’t deliver !

KMFE: “Mark Hughes next casualty of the season”
That man has a reputation built on one moment and it turns out it from his comments it wasn’t that great

I’ll take Pochettino for different reasons!

AB:

I’m going to have a guess here because I’m not sure if you mean now or historically – someone from your team or that team across Stanley park?

Finally:
LS: “Merry Xmas guys x”
Thanks!  And appreciate the continued picking from you and the few that care.  If it’s not obvious, I’ll make it so – it’s really appreciated that you all get picks in on time and play along.

Upcoming Games
I won’t be doing a detailed write-up tomorrow as I will be watching a small puck game…

Please remember to pick two games this week:
Round 21 (Dec 30) and Round 22 (Jan 01)

I will resume normal programming in the next year and have something written up for Jan 1 – get the New Year off on the right foot.