Matchday 12 Results, a double blog and the season is 1/3 through

For the first time in 3 years, I've got writers' block. I've sat and written this first line, then deleted and rewritten it a fair few times now. Fortunately, I could always write about having writers' block since it's the first time, but then I figured I'd just babble on for a bit game by game.

The Merseyside derby was a typically intense matchup for that part of the world. Lukaku could have had a hat-trick, Allen finished a gaping chance like I would and Mirallas got his revenge on Suarez. Artur Boruc then proceeded to show off his silkiest of silky skills (bit like I'd have done) and Palace showed a bit of fight as a parting gift to Millen. The Newcastle renaissance continues, whilst Chelsea had their first routine win for quite a while. Man City were irrepressible (whilst Spurs were rather poor) and Cardiff showed Utd-esque fighting spirit to gain a point at the death. Finally, I don't really know much about what happened at WBA, but by all accounts, Long scored a nice goal.

Easy. Opening paragraph waffled through, let's get statty.

This week, 23 people played

The most predicted result was Chelsea WIN (22/23)

The most disputed game was Everton vs Liverpool (7-7-9)

The highest odds were from me, 7157/1

The lowest odds were from Stevie D, 3500/1

Average odds: 4724/1

The best predictors were Dinkin, Chernick, Charlie and JT (7/10)

The worst predictors were Yanik & Adrian (3/10)

The average score was 5.22

The best predicted result was  Chelsea WIN (22/23)

The worst predicted result was Crystal Palace WIN (0/23)

Everyone's results:

To the leaderboard, for those who have played >2/3 of available weeks, or 9/12.

Without giving massive commentary, I'm astounded by just how consistent the Fink Tank model is. One 3, and every other week has been 5-7. Superb stuff from the Times pundit and his intepid band of statisticians.

To this week's predos:

Aston Villa vs Sunderland - DRAW

Cardiff vs Arsenal - ARSENAL

Everton vs Stoke - EVERTON

Norwich vs Crystal Palace - DRAW

West Ham vs Fulham - FULHAM

Newcastle vs WBA - NEWCASTLE

Spurs vs Man Utd - DRAW

Hull vs Liverpool - LIVERPOOL

Chelsea vs Southampton - CHELSEA

Man City vs Swansea - MAN CITY

Total odds: 2761/1 (PaddyPower)

and the midweek games:

Crystal Palace vs West Ham - WEST HAM

Arsenal vs Hull - ARSENAL

Liverpool vs Norwich - LIVERPOOL

Man Utd vs Everton - DRAW

Southampton vs Aston Villa - SOUTHAMPTON

Stoke vs Cardiff - DRAW

Sunderland vs Chelsea - CHE;SEA

Swansea vs Newcastle - SWANSEA

Fulham vs Spurs - SPURS

WBA vs Man City - MAN CITY

Total odds: To be updated when the predos are there after the weekend games.

Feel free to give me both sets of predos straight away if you'd rather. Good luck folks.

Matchday 11 Results & Matchday 12 Predos

Gonna jump straight into it this week with a phenomenal stat from last week.

5/22, or 23% went for a Man Utd home win.

I'm not sure that we've ever had a stat like that in the last 3 years (it'd be easy to check, but I don't want to ruin the Disney-like magic), including for games involving Chelsea or Man City. There was always a feeling that United at Old Trafford were always at least value for a draw, and more often than not, a win. It just jumped out at me as Impossibilitee's own way of showing the Moyes effect.

And yes, I'm more than aware that they did win. However, it's the perception that's interesting. I was working last weekend, so didn't see the game. I did however, discharge a patient who was a Man Utd fan on the grounds that if he was well enough to mock me after full time, he was well enough to go home. He hasn't returned, so I was either right, or very wrong.

(Career saving bit: If anyone from the GMC reads this blog, that last bit was a joke. Thanks for stopping by.)

It was actually a strange round of matches - I'd like to say one for the underdogs, except they were all strangely predictable. Man United are still Man United. Sunderland seem to have this hoodoo over Man City, WBA are in good nick (and would have won were it not for a horrific penalty decision) and Spurs' profligacy was punished by a keeper in sublime form. The only real shock for me was Palace holding Everton, and again, with absolutely zero in-depth knowledge of the game, I'm ascribing that to 'dead-cat bounce'.

What it did mean, however, was a round of low scores, and a happy bookmaker or two.

Let's get statty:

This week, 22 people played
The most predicted results were Liverpool and Chelsea WINS (22/22)
The most disputed result was Man United vs Arsenal (5-9-8 split)

The highest odds were from Steven Daniels (4075/1)
The lowest were from Doron Salomon (Madre mia, time to cash in the life insurance....428/1)

(Insurance premium saving bit: that last bit was a joke. Thanks for stopping by.)

The best predictors were Tarek Najm, EuroClubIndex and Fink Tank with 5/10
The worst predictors were (deep breath) Me, WhoScored.Com, Gaj Thiru, Adrian Daniels, Nick Collins, Steven Daniels & Josh Daniels (a proud weekend for my family).

The best predicted result was Liverpool WIN (22/22)
The worst predicted results were Sunderland and Newcastle WINS and the DRAW between Chelsea and WBA (0/22)

Everyone's results:

To the leaderboard, for those who have played 8/11 weeks.

This week's predos:

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

Total odds: 7157/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck chaps, see you next week

The Big Results Post & Matchday 11 Predictions

As promised, a rather large post of results from the last 3 weeks. A fair amount to get through, and the lack of major talking points from last weekend allows me to crack straight on.

Let's get statty:

Matchday 8

This week, 26 people played.
The most popular predicted results were Arsenal & Chelsea WINS (26/26)
The most disputed result was Crystal Palace vs Fulham (9-8-9 split)

Highest odds: Doron Salomon (3330/1)
Lowest odds: Me (349/1)
Average odds: 1,243/1

Best predictor:  Adrian Daniels (8/10)
Worst predictor: Me, James Tobias, Josh Gaon and WhoScored.com (4/10)
Average score: 5.62/10

Best predicted result: Arsenal & Chelsea WINS (26/26)
Worst predicted result: Everton vs Hull DRAW (1/26 - well done Dr Feneley)

Everyone's scores:

Matchday 9

This week, 22 people played.
The most popular predicted results were Arsenal, Manchester United & Spurs WINS (22/22)
The most disputed result was Chelsea vs Man City (11-8-3 split)

Highest odds: Doron (obviously) 2102/1
Lowest odds: Sam Ruback, 357/1
Average odds: 912/1

Best predictor: Steven Daniels (9/10)
Worst predictor: Lawro (4/10)
Average score: 6.59/10

Best predicted result: Arsenal, Manchester United & Spurs WINS (22/22)
Worst predicted results: Sunderland WIN (1/22 - well done Doron)

Everyone's scores:

Matchday 10

This week, 23 people played.
The most popular predicted results were Chelsea, Man United & Man City WINS (22/23)
The most disputed result was Everton vs Spurs (10-8-5 split)

Highest odds: Sam Ruback, 3745/1
Lowest odds: Josh Daniels, 1700/1
Average odds: 2657/1

Best predictor: Me & Steven Daniels (7/10)
Worst predictor: Will O'Doherty, Jonny Chernick, Yanik Joshi and Charlie Rawson (3/10)
Average score: 5.04/10

Best predicted results: Manchesters United & City WINS (22/23)
Worst predicted results: Newcastle WIN (0/23)

Everyone's scores:

And now to an updated leaderboard, showing those who have played >2/3 of available weeks, or 7 of 10:

The first thing to note is that (albeit, with nearly 3/4 of the season to play), the scores are higher than in previous years across the board. Are we improving as a cohort, or is the league more predictable? Or have the vagaries of the fixture calendar produced a start to the season disproportionately easy to call?

The pros have the lead, along with our most 'tactile' player, Eli. Last year's biggest winners from a general perspective are sat near the bottom, with FA Cup champion Josh Gaon mimicking his real life counterparts in taking his eye off the league competition.

Still relatively early days however, and plenty of movement to occur; that much is certain.

To this week's predictions:

Aston Villa vs Cardiff - CARDIFF

Chelsea vs WBA -CHELSEA

Crystal Palace vs Everton - EVERTON

Liverpool vs Fulham - LIVERPOOL

Southampton vs Hull - SOUTHAMPTON

Norwich vs West Ham - DRAW

Spurs vs Newcastle - DRAW

Sunderland vs Man City - MAN CITY

Man Utd vs Arsenal - ARSENAL

Swansea vs Stoke - SWANSEA

Total odds: 1722/1 (PaddyPower)

Good luck guys