FA Cup Game: The Merry Month of May

Just a super quick post as I'm on nights this week, so results from the SF will follow over the weekend (likely with a combined final post).

Obviously just the one this week:

Arsenal vs Hull - ARSENAL

Good luck guys!

M37 Resuls + M38 Predos: Season 3 comes to a close

In the beginning, there was the Premier League. Many have speculated that there was a time that existed before then; a time not framed by shocking 90s graphics and suits and swooshy sound effects to go with instant replays - a time whispered in hushed tones as being "BS". Before Sky obviously.

3 years on from the creation of the world's first (but sadly, no longer only) accumulator accumulator, I think the football world has appreciated the size of the schism that has occurred. I've (vicariously through professionals much better at predicting than me) turned water into wine. I've made a rock spew out water. I've put fish in bread and called it a sandwich. This season - we've had perfect matchdays. I don't want to do an end of season review just yet - I think I'll wait for the end of the season for that, but it's been impressive in a number of ways.

A lot of "I"s. Might want to have a chat with someone about that ego.

In other news, Fulham & Cardiff shocked no-one by going down, and Sunderland essentially have confirmed Norwich's fate too. MoMo Al-Fayed (the shopkeeper) blames it on the removal of the MJ statue. Personally I think it's more related to the removal of a Senderos sized statue to sunnier climes. At the top, #Crystanbul was the top trending term worldwide (based on a sample size of my facebook and twitter) as Liverpool lost a 3 goal lead in the last 12 minutes to draw, leaving City the remarkably easy task of beating 11 Claret & Blue statues the next night. I reckon Pulis had a celebratory shower afterwards with the Palace boys. Urgh.

Chelsea are guaranteed 3rd, Arsenal 4th. Everton more or less 5th and Spurs & Man Utd are having a battle to see who can not have to travel to Eastern Europe on Channel 5 Thursdays next year. Elsewhere, Newcastle won a game for the first time since someone punched a horse or something, and some other stuff happened with team that are basically now irrelevant.

So basically...City need a point to win the title, Norwich need to overturn a -17 goal difference to leapfrog Sunderland. Against Laurent Koscielny. Having scored 28 goals all season. Yep. I've already ordered a commiseratory pack of Colman's mustard, Alan Partridge DVDs and Delia branded tissues from Waitrose to my old French teachers house. Pardon Msr Fenn.

'Nuff waffle. Let's get statty:

This week, 20 people played
Most predicted results: Chelsea & Arsenal WINS (20/20)
Most disputed result: Stoke vs Fulham (10-5-4 split)

Highest odds: Josh Daniel 6585/1
Lowest odds: Sam Ruback 609/1
Average odds: 3530/1

Best predictor: Sam Ruback (6/10)
Worst predictor: Jonny Chernick (1/10)
Average score: 3.61/10

Best predicted result: Arsenal WIN (20/20)
Worst predicted result: Sunderland WIN & Chelsea vs Norwich DRAW (0/20). Well done to Doron who picked the draw at Selhurst Park too.

Everyone's scores:

To the leaderboard now, and it's really still all to play for. The title won't be in human hands for the second year running, but it'll see a 3rd name, for sure. Plenty of mini-battles going on throughout, but I think bottom place is now confirmed for Josh Daniels - hardly a surprise given his average odds generally read like the attendance figures at a Premier League game, as opposed to the non-league figures of everyone else.

So, for the last time this season, this week's predos:

Cardiff vs Chelsea - DRAW

Fulham vs Crystal Palace - PALACE

Hull vs Everton - EVERTON

Liverpool vs Newcastle - LIVERPOOL 

Man City vs West Ham - MAN CITY 

Norwich vs Arsenal - ARSENAL 

Southampton vs Man Utd - DRAW 

Sunderland vs Swansea - SUNDERLAND 

Spurs vs Aston Villa - SPURS 

WBA vs Stoke - DRAW

Total odds: 2355/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck all.

M36 Results, M37 Predos: The pendulum swings East

Well....that was hardly unexpected. If you'd climbed a mountain in the Himalayas last week, and stopped to catch your breath at an indigenous Sherpa village full of Nepalese children named Tenzing, I'd have bet you a shiny rupee that even Tenzing's mum, a lady who spent her waking hours making delicious chhurpi to sell at the local market...even she would have known that Jose Mourinho was going to set his team out like that.

The question is...do you accept the bore-draw when it might open the door to your rivals, or play the pin, knowing you'll either make birdie or fly into the water hazard. I reckon Rodgers probably would have switched to the former as the game went on....but whilst definitely not trolling a Liverpool-supporting friend, I realised just how many times Steven Gerrard has made errors that have cost his team in big games...including against Chelsea just a few years ago when he let Drogba in. Zidane and Henry both profited from backpasses in 2004. The own goal in 2005's Carling Cup final. I'm sure I could go on. The highs contrast beautifully with the lows.

Impossibilitee - travel, food, mashed sports metaphors and historical trolling. I really spoil you guys.

In other news, City didn't pass up the chance to rub salt in Scouse wounds (their fast start no doubt related to the extra energy given by the result at Anfield as a wise old Robin mentioned). Sunderland left the bottom 3 for the first time since winning the cup in 1973 and Giggs won the most obvious win in history to leave 70,000 grown Mancunians* swooning at how nice a millionaire looked in a tailored suit. Er, what? Newcastle arrived in North London in body but not in spirit to more or less seal 4th place for Arsenal and Fulham pulled off the Great Escape, before being caught by the Nazis Hull and more or less executed relegated. Charlie Adam also managed to go a whole game against Spurs without killing someone, although it did require him not to play.

*(14 Mancunians and 69, 986 Shandy-drinker southerners) 

Basically...if City beat Everton then I reckon it's all over. I also reckon that the 3 who are in the relegation zone as it stands will be the 3 to go...2 of whom could be confirm this weekend too.

'Nuff guff, let's get statty.

This week, 23 people played

Most popular predicted results: Man Utd & Arsenal WINS (23/23)

Most disputed result: Stoke vs Spurs (8-8-7 split)

Highest odds: Doron 9971/1

Lowest odds: Feneley 1004/1

Average odds: 4824/1

Best predictor: FinkTank (8/10)

Worst predictor: Tarek, Steven D & Josh Gaon (3/10)

Average score: 5.52/10

Best predicted result: Man Utd & Arsenal WINS (23/23)

Worst predicted result: Fulham vs Hull DRAW (2/23)

Everyone's scores:

To the leaderboard for those who've played >2/3 of games (23/35):

The gap once again narrows at the top...exciting times...

To this week's predos:

West Ham vs Spurs - SPURS
Aston Villa vs Hull - ASTON VILLA
Man Utd vs Sunderland - DRAW
Newcastle vs Cardiff - DRAW
Stoke vs Fulham - FULHAM
Swansea vs Southampton - DRAW
Everton vs Man City - MAN CITY
Arsenal vs WBA - ARSENAL
Chelsea vs Norwich - CHELSEA
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool - LIVERPOOL

Total odds: 3698/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck guys, see ya next week