Football Focus

[Alan Medic]

This is the same chap who Stoke didn't sign due to his knee if I remember correctly.

[malumbu]

The moment has passed but in my good, bad and the ugly this weekend one of the latter two for this weekend would have been all the empty seats at the New Library.

We are led to believe that there are 1000s that can't get tickets for the Arse.

So the redistribution of spare season tickets is failing let alone people buying season tickets and not going. I only ever missed matches when my parents took me on holiday (yes I was a teenager at the time, when it was a close thing also between football and girls), or on one occasion when my selfish sister got married.

And would offload the spare ticket to a mate, I think this was three matches missed in four years; I'd love an explanation on why for many matches there are thousands of empty seats at the Emirates; I wouldn't be that bothered if they didn't included these as another sell out attendance.

[red devil]

Week 16 scores...

MM - 5 Correct Results + 2 Correct Scores = 11 pts (What were the odds on that happening?!)

Mx - 3 Correct Results + 2 Correct Scores = 9 pts (The great escape begins...)

OT - 4 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 7 pts

AM - 3 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 6 pts

RD - 6 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 6 pts

?? - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

RC - 2 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 5 pts

EP - Played a Maxxi = 5pts

DR - 4 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 4 pts

JL - 4 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 4 pts

PD - 4 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 4 pts

LG - 3 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 3 pts

SC - 2 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 2 pts

[red devil]

Week 17 (1st-2nd Jan) - Coupon Buster is Reading to win at Tottenham...

West Brom 3 Fulham 1

Man City 2 Stoke 1

Swansea 3 Aston Villa 0

Tottenham 4 Reading 0

West Ham 1 Norwich 2

Wigan 1 Man Utd 2

Southampton 2 Arsenal 3

Chelsea 3 QPR 1

Liverpool 3 Sunderland 1

Newcastle 2 Everton 2

[????]

Idiot double posting predictions

[????]

Happy NYE predictors. could be just you and I RD this week everyone el on a Maxxi :)

[Otta]

West Brom 2 Fulham 1

Man City 3 Stoke 2

Swansea 1 Aston Villa 2

Tottenham 1 Reading 2 (doubtful, but I could do with the bonus points if it comes through)

West Ham 2 Norwich 1

Wigan 1 Man Utd 1

Southampton 1 Arsenal 2

Chelsea 4 QPR 1

Liverpool 3 Sunderland 0

Newcastle 2 Everton 1 (Ba to score?)

[????]

Bleeding hell just clocked mick and Maxxi's scores.....they been on the sauce over Christmas no doubt......seems to have worked

[Alan Medic]

RD, what's going on? Quids has just put in his 2nd set of predictions for tomorrow (not sure about Otta). What are the rules?

[????]

Oops, I!ll revert to my originals and sorry for misleading Otta! Will edit :)

[red devil]

???? and Ots, you've already made predictions for week 17 a couple of pages back. I posted 4 'weeks' worth of fixtures in case people were away over the festive period like LadyGooner. I think I was the only one who didn't do this, preferring single 'week' forecasts. Let me know which predictions you want me to take.

For future reference, I don't mind if anyone wants to amend predictions, as long as it's done before kick-off, and provided it's done on the original post, not a new one, otherwise there's a good chance I will miss it...

[Otta]

Ah, wasn't sure if we'd gone as far as this weekend. I'll just stick with the originals then.

So everyone might want to copy my second attempt as they'll be spot on now I've discarded them!

[Mick Mac]

For those (bozos) who posted their predictions twice. It would be interesting to see if there was much correlation between guess 1 and guess 2. :)

As regards my top score this week, I can take the ridicule with the same charm as I shall exude when taking the title come May. Look out behind. I'm coming with a late run of form.

[maxxi]

???? Wrote:

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> Bleeding hell just clocked mick and Maxxi's

> scores.....they been on the sauce over Christmas

> no doubt......seems to have worked

I was so 'score-crazed' by the time it came to predicting week three that I predicted without due care and attention - it's a Big 'Arry Management technique from his WH days "It's crazy Garth you know? I'm down to the bare bones this week so, you know, the team picks itself..."

(and sauce natch)

Happy New Year all B)

[Ladygooner]

Southampton 0 Arsenal 2

Chelsea 5 QPR 0

Liverpool 2 Sunderland 2

Newcastle 2 Everton 2

[????]

MOTD for me tonight.......first time in a while

[Parkdrive]

Southampton v Arsenal - abject, awful, piss poor.

[red devil]

Refs have always been inconsistent, in that they will allow all sorts of pushing, pulling and general scratching each other's eyes out in the penalty box, yet will give a free kick for the merest hint of 'contact' outside the box...that is until yesterday when Clattenburg give a pen against Norwich for 'holding' a player in the box. I wonder if his fellow refs will follow?..

[red devil]

Right, that's the New Year serious post out of the way, normal service is resumed...

Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!... :)

[Otta]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20554929

Interesting little piece with Rob Jones.

When he signed for Liverpool in 1991, he was on ?500 a week, and the most he ever earnt as a player was ?7000 a week before retireing due to injury in 1999. What a difference a decade makes!

[red devil]

It all went bonkers when Seth Johnson of Leeds was allegedly getting ?35k a week, not sure when that was exactly...

ETA..He signed for Leeds in 2001...

The story of Johnson's contract negotiations with Leeds have passed into legend, a chilling damnation of Ridsdale's spendthrift regime. It goes as follows: Johnson had been earning ?5,000 a week at Derby and his agent told him he wouldn't settle for less than ?13,000 a week at Leeds. Ridsdale's opening gambit, however, surprised them both. "Right, I'm sorry, I can only offer you ?30,000 a week," he said. Around the table jaws dropped in genuine shock. "Oh, all right then," said Ridsdale, filling the silence, "?37,000."

[Parkdrive]

red devil Wrote:

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> Right, that's the New Year serious post out of the

> way, normal service is resumed...

>

> Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

> Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

> Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

> Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

>

> Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

> Let's all laugh at Arsenal,

> Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

> Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!... :)

Can't wait for glass ankles to get injured, then we'll see just how much you're inclined to mirth. Or will the little boy inside you be crying "mummy"?

[Mick Mac]

Joe Cole about to sign for West Ham, if not mentioned already. Anyway his career never really took off as intended. Hope big Sam makes the most of him.

[maxxi]

Great news as long as he passes the medical - back where he belongs... a midfield of Cole, Noble, Nolan and Collison could really click - just need a striker now.

Great result for Harry's boys tonight too, should make sure the Ba deal goes through.

[red devil]

maxxi Wrote:

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> back where he belongs...

When Cole was interviewed after the WHU v LFC game, he referred to LFC as 'they', and had to correct himself...#donedeal