S4M16: I am a very petty, small man

As the song goes, "Is this how it feels to be Tottenham/City/insert rival of choice"...

Saturday was a good day, wasn't it? Sun shining, birds tweeting, that thing thinging, Papiss Cisse scoring....

As an Arsenal fan, I've sort of accepted that we're never* going to win the league again - and really felt that way since that horrific day in Birmingham in 2008 when Eduardo's leg was removed by Martin Taylor. I'd like to see us challenge occasionally....but accept that teams with more money, squad depth and pragmatism will win ahead of us. Like the pretty fantastic Chelsea side of this year.
I'm cool with that - or as cool as someone can be with the acceptance that a hated rival will win stuff.

However, I just don't want anyone to take our Invincible title away, so in addition to the sacred holiday of St Totteringham, I also celebrate El Día de Los Invencibles annually, when the children laugh with mirth and frolic gaily in the streets of Islingtown. This year's festivities were enjoyed with a refreshing Newkie Brown & some Pease pudding in honour of this year's conquistadors. I invite you, friends, to join me in making this celebration part of your own calendar.

In other news, Man City got jammy, QPR are probably going to avoid relegation as a result of winning home games, Man Utd got jammy, West Ham are improbably good and I don't think anyone understands how (Maybe Sam Allardyce is one of those Qui Reverti blokes from BBC's Intruders?)

Villa have continued their post-Keane-ian renaissance and all the other football was dull, with the exception of Stoke-Arsenal which was lovely for the £1 house dwellers and rubbish for all Arsenal fans, except me, who didn't give a fig 'cos I was too busy celebrating El Día de Los Invencibles. Seriously....try it! I also didn't see the game and have so far avoided "highlights" which is the footballing equivalent of having a chat underground with an ostrich, whilst presenting my buttocks to a lion. Read that as you see fit.

*never in the childhood sense of not in the immediate vicinity of time as I can comprehend it

Let's get statty:

This week, 18 people played, including newbie, the Hampshire Hammer, Bradley Allix - welcome mate, hope you stick around!

Most popular predicted results: Liverpool & Man City WINS (17/18)
Most disputed result: Southampton vs Man Utd (3-5-10 split)

Highest odds: 35,835/1 Andrew Feneley's Mum (obvs)
Highest odds (excluding AFM): Doron Salomon (obvs) 5847/1
Lowest odds: Sam Ruback (obvs) 1172/1
Average odds: 8352/1 (2855/1 without AFM)

Best predictors: Me & David Silverman (7/10)
Worst predictors: Charlie R & Brad Allix (debut to forget) 2/10
Average score: 4.11/10

Best predicted result: Man City WIN (17/18)
Worst predicted result: Stoke WIN (0/18 - the classic optimism of the gooner. What are the rest of your excuses?
Special mention for AFM yet again: 2 unique correct predictions so well done (Newcastle win & Liverpool/Sunderland draw)

Everyone's scores:

To the leaderboard, as ever for those who have played >2/3 of available week, (11/15 this week)

Not a great week for most - everyone bar Verber, Silverman and myself batting below their average. Still, I'm not complaining. The Feneleys & Doron are just starting to get cut off from the rest of the mid-table...though still lots of predicting to be done!

To this week's predos:

Burnley vs Southampton - SOUTHAMPTON

Chelsea vs Hull - CHELSEA

Crystal Palace vs Stoke - STOKE

Leicester vs Man City - MAN CITY

Sunderland vs West Ham - WEST HAM

WBA vs Aston Villa - ASTON VILLA

Arsenal vs Newcastle - ARSENAL

Man Utd vs Liverpool - MAN UTD

Swansea vs Spurs - DRAW

Everton vs QPR - EVERTON

Total odds:  1078/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck guys!