S4M38: Right of Reply

Those of you who've read every word I've ever published on this blog will know that a part of my daily reading comes from Football365. For those of you who aren't familiar with this site, it's a "neutral", PL focussed football site (duh) with lots of interesting features about other leagues, a bi-daily Mailbox for regular Joes' like me to get published once in a while, a factchecker page that calls out Media bullshlacha and so on. If you're not a regular, I advise you to be - I think generally, the tone they strike is a good balance between fairness and humour.

If you're Doron, you'll disagree as they hate Man Utd. But everyone hates Man Utd so......

The reason I've brought this up is that they used to have a feature which was excellent but have stopped in the last few years. They still produce a weekly "Winners & Losers" column generally on a Monday morning after a round of PL fixtures. They used to follow it up with a second column a day or two later called "W&L: Whingers & Moaners" where the writer took some of the comments written below the line and engaged with them - either in a constructive way or calling them out for the rose-tinted bollocks that they often were.

This is a very long and convoluted way around to this - and to hammer home that point, this unnecessary clause...this piece is not sponsored by F365 - back to the crux of the matter:

I, George Gallolway*, allegedly of sound mind, have noticed a little rebellion creeping into the comments in the last week. There seems to be a selective issue with my counting abilities.

Well...I'd like to point out the 3 following pieces of information:

• I have a GCSE in Mathematics of football. Or something about Goal Averages. I dunno - it was ages ago and I didn't actually do most of the work. CEO material.
• I use Excel. I don't actually count anything myself. This has nothing to do with the point above.
• Whiners are wieners.

I don't mean to suggest I'm infallible. However in this case, this is clearly a Zionist-Swedo-Iranian plot to ensure minor changes to an amateur prediction league. This shall not stand. So, having donned the black fedora of accountancy, I have proceeded on a timely and waste-of-taxpayers-money (I did it at work) recount.

Basically, there was a minor clerical error. A weany little thing which in the grand scale of the universe and all of it's goings-on is really not all that relevant. What's 1 extra point to me, Josh Daniels, Feneley's Mum & Sam Ruback amongst friends?

Database amended, fear not.

I'm not even gonna wait for an Impossibilileak. Anyone who wants the data can have it. Just send a one off admin fee of £1500 and it's all yours.

However, this is irrelevant. The punishment for whistleblowing is a one way ticket to North Korea for a fun day out at an anti-aircraft gun testing facility. So, 잘다녀오십시오! Jalda nyeoo sip sio!

Check me out - satire + football + maths. You guys don't know you're born.

Other comment from last week:

 Yes, Josh. That is true. I'm putting it down to the Hail Mary thingamajiggy.

*I'm not actually George Gallolway. Promise. The extra 'l' makes it a made up person anyway so if there was an allegedly litigious unemployed bloke around....yeah good luck with that

In football news...

• Steve G should have gone ages ago. This is getting awkward now. Do as Fergie did and just go out of the blue - don't linger man.
• Yay Sadio Mane
• Yay Villa - has anyone ever stayed up by being absolutely trounced?
• I didn't see Man utd vs Arsenal. Sounds like I didn't miss much
• Fabregas has clearly found something on Lastminute.com

Enough of that - let's get statty:

This week, 19 people played

Most popular predicted result: Liverpool WIN (18/19)

Most disputed result: Man Utd vs Arsenal (8-5-6 split)

Highest odds: Steven Daniels (18,443/1)

Lowest odds: Andrew Feneley's Mother (1997/1)

Average odds: 7229/1 

Best predictors: Sam Ruback, Yo Abbott, Feneley & FinkTank (5/10)

Worst predictor: ***ROUND OF APPLAUSE***

David Silverman with only the second EVER 0/10!!!!

Go join Will O'Doherty on the honours board, son!

Average score: 3.26/10

Best predicted result: Man City WIN (16/19)

Worst predicted result: Crystal Palace & WBA Wins (0/19)

Swing: Lukaku's late winner - 11 people threw toffees at the TV with that one.

Everyone's results:

To the leaderboard for those who've played >2/3 of weeks (25/37)

Josh Gaon hasn't done quite enough yet - a 10 from Fink Tank could still see the title return to Times Towers. The stats snitches have seen Sam drop back to equal 3rd place, seen Feneley leapfrog me and Josh and Will dead level. Tarek remains very bottom - but within touching distance of Feneley's mum should he have a big week....

This week's predos:

Arsenal vs WBA - ARSENAL

Aston Villa vs Burnley - DRAW

Chelsea vs Sunderland - CHELSEA

Crystal Palace vs Swansea - CRYSTAL PALACE

Everton vs Spurs - EVERTON

Hull vs Man Utd - MAN UTD

Leicester vs QPR - LEICESTER

Man City vs Southampton - MAN CITY

Newcastle vs West Ham - DRAW

Stoke vs Liverpool - STOKE

Total odds: 2495/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck guys.