British fantasy football league

I've still got a few to play yet mate.

Me too. Listening to Utd v Sunderland on MUFC. Very frustrating.

Bloody 'ell. Chopra just got booked.

Oh bollocks, Senderos just been sent off ffs.

It just gets better, doesn't it? Chelski get beat 2:0 by The Villa and Drogba gets booked. I reckon that without tomorrow's MoTMs I've eeked out another 12 points on yous lot. TDH bagged 3 more points than me and shot up the table, and kaiserf had a bloody good weekend with the highest individual score and is ahead of Mr. Lions. Of course, me holding onto this lead is bloody impossible, I know, but I'm gonna try my hardest this season.

Total disaster for me this weekend, i'll be lucky not to have a total of minus points, ah well, such is life. It's a long season.

Oh I dunno bluedave, you didn't do that badly. I've still got you in joint second place. Think about poor old Crowes, I've got him on -1pt. His whole defence didn't keep any clean sheets, plus he has Dunne, none of his midfield played and only one of his strikers played and scored points.

Of course everything is based on there being no transfers this week, because I have had none to work with.

Weekends Motms:

Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
Manuel Almunia (Arsenal)
Kasper Schmeichel (Manchester City)
Matthew Etherington (West Ham)
Michael Owen (Newcastle)
David Wheater (Middlesbrough)
Craig Gordon (Sunderland)
Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)
Andrew Johnson (Everton)

Time for big changes for me.

Before I put up a prediction for this week, were there any transfers that I don't know about?

Not used any here but i think it's time that i do eh?

OK, thats the second week that City have lost, but Schmeichel has come away with MotM? His Dad isnt working for the Telegraph is he?

OK then, and taking it there were no transfers, I get this:

1 Sin City FC 148
2 Blue Moon FC 136
3 Ihsan's Shade 132
4 Crawlies Creepers 130
5 Devils FC 118
5 Komland 118
7 FC Hazza Bollah 104
8 Windy City Waterboys 103
9 Super Brits 102
10 You Essexy Thing 101
11 Gallus FC 99
12 Solent Gale 98
13 Wee Mun Wanderers 96
14 UnitedWeRise 93
15 The Puddings 91
16 Expat XI 90
17 Spunkalot Rapalots 87
18 The Solettes 84
18 Five Man Back Four 84
20 Augustiner United 76
21 The Dog's Tackle 70

Good result for Oldham mate. I see Hughes has transformed the team

Don't be harsh Jimbo. They're probably saving themselves for the tough away match at Accrington Stanley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy tomorrow night.

If i make transfers before this friday, will they count in the games of 15th september?

Yes. They will come into effect on Wednesday 12th.

What I want to know is, was there a probation officer sitting in the dug out? And who drives the team bus come to that...

Apparently there's a Dutch bloke by the name of Jol who might be looking for a job soon. I hear he's got a clean drivers license.

Not clean exactly mate, but he's not got many points, I'll give you that.

Did not Knight who scored a goal this week to Chelsea for Villa, scored another goal for Villa last week (own goal), Looks like he started serving Villa before he is on board.

And apparantly a lifelong Villa fan to boot. Stranger things have come true.

It's a funny old game. They're now saying that Rooney will be back for the next match and Drogba is out with a knee injury.

I wonder if Drogba's injury will be as real as Berbatov's was

Not for me to say, JJ. Not for me to say.

What ARE you doing all the way down there in the league?

Lurking and plotting, my friend.

just checking will we get an updated file before friday ?, could be useful for transfers

Just doing the file now. Scores are updated every Wednesday.

Here is this weeks table.

I think for the first time ever in my career as a fantasy manager, this is the first time I have been in the bottom three!!

Early days 3 Lions. Long way to go yet. I know for a fact that I won't be at the top for long. The trick, it would seem, is to be at the top come the end of the season.

So, we are back in action. Hope my new transfers make it work.

Tottenham Hotspur - Arsenal 15 September 2007
Chelsea - Blackburn Rovers 15 September 2007
Birmingham City - Bolton Wanderers 15 September 2007
Wigan Athletic - Fulham 15 September 2007
Portsmouth - Liverpool 15 September 2007
Everton - Manchester United 15 September 2007
West Ham United - Middlesbrough 15 September 2007
Sunderland - Reading 15 September 2007

Manchester City - Aston Villa 16 September 2007

Derby County - Newcastle United 17 September 2007

Mr. Lions does the sheet on Thursdays. I'm sure it's not far away.

I'll send the file out tomorrow, so that poeple can see the teams going in to the weekend. Seeing as there were no games from the weekend, do you really need me to tell you all that nobody has scored points this week?

Weekend team news

SATURDAY

Everton v Manchester United - 12pm

Tim Howard misses an encounter against his old club through injury, with Stefan Wessels set to deputise in the Everton goal. United have Cristiano Ronaldo back after suspension, but Wayne Rooney may have to wait for his return from injury.

Portsmouth v Liverpool - 12.45pm

Harry Redknapp has a massive squad to choose from and plenty of options, especially in midfield. Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez may shuffle his pack with a Champions League game against Porto on Tuesday. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres could be rested.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - 1.30pm

Spurs have Aaron Lennon, Darren Bent and Michael Dawson back at full fitness, leaving Ledley King as their only major absentee. The Gunners will continue with Manuel Almunia in goal after Jens Lehmann's elbow injury flared up last weekend.

Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - 3pm

Two relegation-threatened sides face off without major injury worries. The difference between the two could lie up front, where the away side boast extra quality with Nicolas Anelka and El-Hadji Diouf facing off against Cameron Jerome and Mikkel Forssell.

Sunderland v Reading - 3pm

Wearsiders' defender Greg Halford is back from suspension and in line to play against his former club. However, Andy Cole and Kieran Richardson are the latest names on a lengthy Sunderland injury list. Liam Rosenior could make his Reading debut.

West Ham v Middlesbrough - 3pm

Scott Parker and Christian Dailly are pushing for inclusion for the Hammers after coming through a reserve game in midweek, but neither is expected to start. Gary O'Neil should be handed a debut on the right side of the Boro midfield.

Wigan Athletic v Fulham - 3pm

The home side are without the suspended Kevin Kilbane and injured Luis Valencia, while they welcome back Emile Heskey after his England heroics. Top scorer David Healy is expected to start for the visitors despite a nagging calf complaint.

Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers - 5.15pm

Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard are Jose Mourinho's main injury casualties, but Chelsea are boosted by the return of Andriy Shevchenko. Blackburn are close to full fitness, with Roque Santa Cruz expected to partner Benni McCarthy up front.

SUNDAY

Manchester City v Aston Villa - 4pm

Andreas Isaksson is back at full fitness but faces a tough battle dislodging in-form Kasper Schmeichel from the City starting XI. Villa have Curtis Davies at full fitness, but could name the same team that beat Chelsea 2-0 a fortnight ago.

MONDAY

Derby County v Newcastle United - 8pm

Kenny Miller is set to start for Derby with Craig Fagan serving the first match of a four-game suspension, while Eddie Lewis and David Jones are in contention. Newcastle could give Habib Beye a debut at right-back with Stephen Carr still injured.

WHOA!

Reina just saved a penalty. +5pts

*cough*

Sigh. I finally had some time to pay attention to this and made some adjustments based on my statistical analysis, which didn't turn out so well. In any case, at least I no longer have Huth and Cahill in my team.

And how about that Alexei Smertin?

edited for a quick anti-chelski smart-ass remark:


Are you sure?

Certainly is a strange weekend so far. If a TTFFL manager has Adebayor, Fabregas or Reina they've done quite well. I'd love to include Fabregas in my team, and I could afford him. The only trouble is that I can't bring myself to pick an Arse player. It's my extra rule: No Arse. Liverpool, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Blackburn defence all kept clean sheets. Chimbonda is the biggest loser of the players picked: conceeded 3 goals and got booked. TDH is having a blinding weekend with 48pts and shot up to 3rd. Crawlie has taken 2nd. I'm clinging on to the lead... just. 3Lions is doing an Oldham and is 2nd from bottom. But then, there are still two matches to go and all the MoTM points, and 9 managers still have players to score this week, so it will definitely end up different come Tuesday.

PHEW!

Giovanni isn't in the team and Bianchi is on the subs bench.

Sin,

It is nice that you feel that strongly about this, but you are really handicapping yourself, as it seems Fabregas has remedied his profligacy in front of goal this season. According to my analysis not only his he among the best purchases in terms of $$$/pts (i.e. value) at his position - he is also among the most consistent performers as measured by standard deviation. The maths don't lie, I'm afraid.

I know I'm just a loud yank, but my gut tells me he is in a for a big seasons this year.

Hope you are doing well my friend,
Kaiserf

p.s. Yes, all Americans are obsessed with "stats"

You get onto me for cheering on Texas and you joined the BFFL and not the AFFL? Sheiser mann

well, there isn't much point in joining an AFFL league if you can't be there for the draft. If you would have donated the plane ticket for me to get to the draft, I would have been happy to join.

I know. But I just can't bring myself to do it. I know I'm a terrible anti-Arseist and I admit that I believe that Holloway should be wiped off the map. I'm sorry, but there it is. I must have some Haringey Yiddish blood in me somewhere to feel this way. And to make matters a thousand times worse, I'm flying in a few hours and spending the night at me mum's... with me Arse supportin' step-father... with The Arse top of the league. I am considering suicide as a realistic alternative. I blame Charile 'Fucking' George for all this.

Dont worry, that wont last for long

Btw, this weekends match facts:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Manchester City 1 Aston Villa
Goal: Johnson
Assist: Elano
Booked: Jihai, Moore
MOTM: Johnson

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Birmingham 1 Bolton 0
Goal: Kapo
Assists: Larsson
Booked: Ridgewell, Nolan, A O'Brien, Speed
MOTM: Kapo

Chelsea 0 Blackburn 0
Booked: Belletti, J Cole, Warnock, Savage
MOTM: Friedel

Everton 0 Manchester Utd 1
Goal: Vidic
Assists: Nani
Booked: P Neville, Pienaar, Scholes, Ronaldo
MOTM: Vidic

Portsmouth 0 Liverpool 0
Booked: Johnson, Davis, Diop, Alonso, Sissoko
Penalty Miss: Kanu
Penalty save: Reina
MOTM: James

Sunderland 2 Reading 1
Goals: Jones, Wallace, Kitson
Assists: Leadbitter, Shorey
Booked: Wallace, Bikey, Gunnarsson
MOTM: Jones

Tottenham 1 Arsenal 3
Goals: Bale, Adebayor x2, Fabregas
Assists: Fabregas x2, Rosicky
Booked: Chimbonda, Jenas, Sagna, Hleb
MOTM: Adebayor

West Ham 3 Middlesbrough 0
Goals: Bowyer, Ashton
Own goal: Young
Assists: Cole, Etherington
Booked: McCartney, Ljungberg, Tuncay
MOTM: Green

Wigan 1 Fulham 1
Goals: Koumas, Dempsey
Assists: none
Booked: Skoko
MOTM: Dempsey

Predictions:

1 Sin City FC 181
2 Crawlies Creepers 173
3 Devils FC 167
4 Ihsan's Shade 165
5 Blue Moon FC 159
6 Komland 156
7 Windy City Waterboys 135
8 Solent Gale 134
9 The Puddings 126
10 FC Hazza Bollah 123
10 Expat XI 123
12 UnitedWeRise 122
13 Super Brits 121
13 You Essexy Thing 121
15 Gallus FC 116
16 Wee Mun Wanderers 113
17 Spunkalot Rapalots 109
18 The Solettes 107
19 Augustiner United 102
20 Five Man Back Four 101
21 The Dog's Tackle 97

Mourinho is out. Remember, you heard it here first.

Wow da boy is right !

I've also obtained exclusive tape of the showdown talks that lead to Mourinho's sacking.

The Showdown Tapes

Honestly though, I'm a bit conflicted. He was pretty annoying. But he was also good fun. Then I think about the prospect of listening to a Rafa/ Ferguson/Hughes/Curbs/McClaren press conference/interview and I realize I'll probably miss him quite a bit.

So, Jose for England, right?

Thanks kaiserf. Still cryin' with laughter here.

Mourinho for QPR, anybody?

Anybody?

Q is, is it worth having any Chelsea players in my team now after this or is it all gonna collapse?