A second visit of the season to Deepdale for the Boro this time though they are sending the first team, so we may have a slightly harder game than the League Cup tie. Saw a bit of Boro's match on Saturday at Brentford as with a Pulis side defensively very strong, although not prolific in attack although out ex Hugill is starting to knock them in, they have not lost since early October and on Saturday had Assombalonga on the bench he cost 15 million, we had Graham Burke on ours.
Second in the league Boro will be there abouts at the end of the season however all is not happiness on Teeside mainly due to the style of football he plays, after witnessing over the years some of the Gillingham sides we used to play so can sympathise a bit with the Boro support but it's Catch 22 for them, if he gets promotion then they may be happy



Injuries are starting to kick in again for us with Robinson now out for a considerable length of time possibly linked to the stone age training schedule by the now ex manager of the Republic of Ireland manager, so it's up to the others now to step up to the plate tomorrow though is an extremely difficult game.
Preston North End manager Alex Neil has had plenty of selection problems this season with more and more injury issues thrown his way, and he is hoping the remaining fit players can step up to the plate.
Preston North End manager Alex Neil has had plenty of selection problems this season with more and more injury issues thrown his way.
But he is hoping that after the latest blow, with Callum Robinson ruled out for a minimum of three months, that someone else can step up to the plate and take the chance that will come their way.
“That is going to be a big part of it now for us,” said the gaffer. “We have had lads who have probably been a bit frustrated that they have not been given enough time. They have been accepting of the fact that the other lads have been doing well and they need to bide their time, but that time has now come for a lot of these lads to step up and show us what they can do.
“I am excited for them. I am disappointed by the fact that we haven’t maybe got the strength in depth now behind them to make sure even when they do fatigue, we have other guys to help them, so we are going to rely on these boys to step up to the mark now and show us what they can do.
To be fair, over the season, sporadically when they have had opportunities, they have done well and now they have a chance to do it consistently. I am confident that they can step up.”

The test for whoever makes the starting line-up on Tuesday is Tony Pulis’ side, who moved back into the automatic promotion places with a 2-1 win at Brentford on Saturday evening.

And the PNE chief is expecting a different game to the recent home challenges his side have faced: “They are going to be a physical team,” he continued. “We have to embrace that physical challenge and make sure that we compete well enough, because if we don’t, then we will find it a tough evening.
“They have quality players in their ranks. I have worked with a couple of them; Jonny Howson – who did really well for me down at Norwich – and Jordan Hugill, who everyone is aware of, so they have some good players. Stewart Downing has some real quality as well, so we can’t underestimate the quality that they have.
They will be really well organised and well-drilled and we have to make sure that we move the ball and we compete as well as we possible can, because if we do that, then we have a chance.

“Although their team was considerably changed, we scored two against them in the Cup and two against them in the league at Deepdale last season and the goals we have been scoring, we are capable of getting one or two, we just have to make sure we do both sides of the game in the match really well, because it is going to take a lot of concentration.

“You want to apply a high press and try and win the ball, but not so much that they can just fling the ball forward to Jordan’s feet, because we know how strong and physical he can be. So, we are going to have to counter-act both sides of their game and if we can do that then hopefully we can imprint our style on them.”

His side are now eight games unbeaten and full of confidence, but he is wary of an ‘after the lord mayor’s show’ situation, following the thumping win over Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.
“I have been involved in a lot of big derbies and once you come away with a positive result, sometimes after all the emotion, the next game becomes a bit of a damp squib.
Everybody is a bit mentally fatigued and physically fatigued; so we need to clear our minds and make sure that we have no hangover from the weekend’s game.

“We need to put our soul focus on winning this match and playing as well as we possibly can,” he added.
Ref Watch: Middlesbrough
Tuesday night’s match official, taking charge of his first PNE game of the season, is the referee who officiated last season’s Gentry Day at Bolton Wanderers.
The referee is Peter Bankes, who as well as the win at the Macron Stadium, also took charge both of the last two seasons’ clashes with Aston Villa at Deepdale, our FA Cup third round victory over Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park back in January this year and the 1-1 draw with Barnsley in September 2017.

The first of the aforementioned games against Villa, were his first of two North End games in 2016/17, also officiating the game against Leeds United at Elland Road in April 2017.
Last season’s clash with the Villans was his third visit to Deepdale as a referee. His first was the 2014/15 season’s 3-2 home win over Port Vale in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and then in 2015/16 season he was here for the last game of 2015, when we defeated Hull City 1-0 just after Christmas.
This is his fifth year on the EFL referee’s list and he also took charge of our win at Chesterfield in February 2015, when former striker Joe Garner scored twice on his return from a period out injured.

This will be his second Boro game of the season, having also officiated their away win at Hillsborough last month, when they overcame Sheffield Wednesday 2-1.

The assistants on Tuesday evening will be Mark Dwyer and Shaun Hudson, with fellow Select Group Two referee Darren Bond acting as fourth official.

Just seen the draw for the FA Trophy; it turns out we`re at home to Basford United. I know they`re from Nottingham, but not much else.

THE MATCH

TUESDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 7:45PM KICK OFF

v

LAST MATCH



Well it was an improved performance but defensive mistakes cost us again as we suffered our fifth defeat in six games. We started on the front and were rewarded with an early goal as Reach finished tidily from a narrow angle. We were comfortable then were hit by 2 Derby goals in six minutes and despite playing OK we were losing. Onto the 2nd half and we had several chance to equalize FF firing wide, Fox hitting the post when he really should have scored and Reach having a long range effort saved by Carson. Derby threatened a couple of times with Dawson saving well from Huddlestone.

THE MATCH



Next up its Bolton who come to Hillsborough with a 8 game win-less streak, so we all know what that will probably mean come the final whistle on Tuesday Bolton won 3 of there first 4 games of the season, before losing to Blunts and its been downhill from there with them now lying in 22nd place and no wins since September. Bolton have the worst attack in the league scoring just 12 goals, so its nailed on we wont get a clean sheet This is a relegation 6 pointer, and we really need to win it, a draw just isn't good enough and if we don't win Jos should be shown the exit door

CURRENT FORM

OWLS               -                        

BOLTON            -                         

THE BASTARD IN THE BLACK

GAVIN WARD
Assistant Referees: Matt Foley and Billy Smallwood
Fourth Official : Paul Marsden

THE TEAM

Expect Fletcher to start after "being too tired" against the Rams. FF & Matias should be in the squad at least although might not start after playing a few days ago. Will Penney or Thorniley get a start? What about Hutch, Abdi, Jones and Boyd apparently all fit but just not being picked

My Team (352)
Westwood
Lees Hector Thorniley
Palmer Bannan Hutch Reach Penney
FF Fletcher

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

2-1 FF - Owlkev

ATTENDANCE

21211 - Owlkev

BML STANDINGS

Washington  10
Peiowl  6
Owlkev  4
Stateside  4
SCO 4
Imre  3
Wereham  2
Southey  2
Maddix  1


OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Brentford vSheffield United
Hull City v Norwich City
Leeds United v Reading
Preston North End v Middlesbrough
Rotherham United v Queens Park Rangers

DAHAH - Owlkev

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC





The thread awaits the Meggo of Statesides choice.

2 points for a correct result
4 points for a correct score
2 points for each correct scorer
Correct joker doubles your score       
Wrong joker result gives you minus 2
Correct Random Badger gives you 2 points

The random badger is used for any random prediction used once in each matchday sequence. For instance, a scorer at a particular match, the number of red cards in the matches or yellow cards or own goals or owt you want really within reason, I do need to be able to check whether it's correct or not. Please don't put stuff like....."Commentator says...."  
The joker   is played for one match in each sequence and if correct you get double points. So if you've predicted 1-0 and it finishes 2-0, you get 4 pts, but if you've predicted 2-0, that's 8 pts. But if you get it wrong, it's minus 2.
Jokers and badgers are optional. You don't have to play one if you don't want.


Cup games:
In the event of a draw, it's half the points if you've predicted a draw when it gets to 90 mins and the full points if it's still a draw after extra time. Half the points will be awarded for correctly predicting the winner of the match if it goes to penalties.

Random score generator: I will be using the random score generator again for those who miss predicting, so we shouldn't get some people too far behind that after missing a couple of weeks they lose all interest, because I know it's not easy getting on here every week.
To be fair to everybody, this is going to be like, say if three people in one week miss their predictions, the first one in the table will be given all 0-0, the second one down the line will get 1-0 and the third will get 0-1 and so on, like if there's four missing the 4th will get 1-1, then 5th 2-1, 6th 1-2. and if there are so many missing, might as well pack in.
And if you miss two weeks on the trot, I'll stop until you come back on again. Not doing it for half a season like I did last year.  


This is one of the big weeks in this season. A double header of Premier League plus cup matches, making a total of 26 matches to predict. Could mean a big move upwards for somebody or maybe a slump down the table for somebody else.
Game on!

Premier League double header:
Friday 30th November:
Cardiff City v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday 1st December:
Town v Brighton
Town scorers:
Brighton scorers:

Crystal Palace v Burnley
Leicester City v Watford
Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Southampton v Manchester United (17:30)

Sunday 2nd December:
Chelsea v Fulham (12:00)
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur (14:05)
Liverpool v Everton (16:15)

Tuesday 4th December:
Bournemouth v Town
Town scorers:
Bournemouth scorers:

Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace
West Ham United v Cardiff City
Watford v Manchester City

Wednesday 5th December:
Burnley v Liverpool
Everton v Newcastle United
Fulham v Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea
Manchester United v Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton

Bonus matches:
FA Cup:
Friday:
Solihull Moors v Blackpool

Saturday:
FC Halifax Town v AFC Wimbledon (12:30)
Peterborough United v Bradford City

Sunday:
Chesterfield v Grimsby Town (14:00)

Monday:
Guiseley v Fleetwood Town

Scottish League Cup Final:
Sunday:
Celtic v Aberdeen (15:00)

Table after Matchday 16:
theo_luddite = 378 pts
St Charles Owl = 375 pts
themaclad = 360 pts
jjamez = 353 pts
Terrier1987cas = 351 pts
neonfoxinthebox = 349 pts
Amelia Chaffinch = 345 pts
Baggiebob(BBB) = 333 pts
SHEP_HTAFC = 333 pts
Lord Snooty = 321 pts
ritchiebaby = 297 pts
JUSTASILLYOLDGIT = 269 pts

NEW SMILIES/BALLS

  Bonus ball stays the same
 Score Ball , .. This is the new free to use Ball , play it on a game that you think both teams will score in ! (Replaces the Insurance ball)
 Gamball, the I can't look image suits this ball more than any other ........

New Scoring System

Incorrect Result =  0 point
Incorrect Result (Bonus Ball) = - 2
Incorrect Result (Gamball) = -3 * changed from -4

Score Ball = 1 added Point if both teams score.  !

Correct Result = + 2 points
Correct Result (Bonus Ball) = + 3 * Changed from +4
Correct Result (Gamball) = +4  * Changed from +8
Correct Score = + 4 points
Correct Score (Bonus Ball) = + 6  * Changed from +8
Correct Score (Gamball) = +8   * Changed from +16

As you can see the incorrect scoring has not really changed apart from a wrong Gamball you now gain a point if you get it wrong, was -4 now its -3.

The Insurance Ball has been replaced completely by the Score Ball. (see above)

The changes only kick in if you correctly guess a result or a correct score,
The Bonus has slightly changed with a correct result down one to 3 instead of 4 points
And a correct score Bonus down two to 6 instead of 8 points
The Gamball where the big Issue was has a huge change, a correct result will now be just 4 points down from 8
And a correct score on the Gamball will be now just 8 points instead of 16 !!
This is a 50% drop on the Gamball thus ensuring people who get lucky with just this one result/score does not affect the predictors who predict well to suffer.
This should also keep things so much tighter and keep the Interest going for most people right to the very end,
Also the third from bottom of the premiership will play off against the third in the table from the Championship to keep even more excitement going, they will have to predict through all the Playoffs and the winner obviously takes their place in the Premier League the following season  

Beefy, Bomber, Zinman & SCO  


If you do not predict,...........
If in your league everyone scores above zero you will receive Zero points,
However if in your league the person with the lowest score is below Zero (eg -4) you will score -5 and receive your first strike, Remember 3 strikes and you're out.

All scores must be in before MIDDAY SATURDAY,(For The Early Kick Off If Applicable) If the early kick off is missed the rest of your predictions must reach us by 2.45pm or none will be counted.



* NEW & UPDATED 2018/19 PARTICIPANTS,

Premiership
                             
1/ Zinman
2/ ST Charles Owl
3/ Derby                            
4/ WorldClass
5/ Sanjay
6/ Beefy                                                      
7/ DD *3rd Strike
8/ Amelia
9/ BBB 
10/ MattWBA
11/ Snoots                   
                           
Championship

1/ Joker
2/ Spireite
3/ Stairs
4/ Quantum
5/ Baggieone
6/ 4eva
7/ Bomber                          
8/ Twerton
9/ Themaclad
10/ Turkeydinner
                        
                             
I'm almost 100% sure Myself & the Scorers get the scores added up correctly, From time to time over the season we may get now and again get this wrong, SO IN THE EVENT OF ANY POINTS DISCREPANCIES can i ask all you guys to check your predictions and if you feel they are incorrect in anyway contact me Via PM within a week of the TABLES & SCORES being presented and they will be corrected the following week.
Anything later unless it is a Major error will NOT be corrected. It is as much your responsibility to check your scores as much as it is ours to try and score them correctly.
Beefy  

Saturday 1st December

1/ Huddersfield v Brighton
2/ Leicester v Watford
3/ Sheffield Utd v Leeds
4/ Blackburn v Sheff Wed
5/ Derby v Swansea
6/ Middlesbrough v Aston Villa 17:30
7/ Walsall v Sunderland ... FAC
8/ Wrexham v Newport .... FAC 20:00

Sunday 2nd December

9/ Swindon v Woking .... FAC
10/** Arsenal v Tottenham

having (yesterday) watched numerous FOREIGN games of football
i`m wondering what all the fuss is about
LA LIGA? having watched lowly Eibar destroy the mighty Real Madrid 3-0
and a very dire 1-1 draw between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona(nowt happened until the final 10 minutes)
Bundesliga? about as interesting as watching my underwear dry(aint washed em just.......oh come on we all dribble in them)

today i watched the old West Midlands Cup Final (vile/blouse)
very good game closer than the scoreline
then watched(ha ha ha) Wolverhampton - Huddersfield
looks like their bubble has well and truly burst

yes my friends
English football is better than those foreign leagues

and yes.......i need to get out more

Kevin Austin sadly passed away yesterday after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 45.

RIP Kevin.

Heres the Christmas special in memory of our friend Madsteve   he must be looking down pissed off ... but that wasnt his game he would have probably seen the positive in all this and calmed most of us down  

Well we go pretty much into Christmas the same as last year Reguardles of todays result against Lampard FC we are in the same depressing awfull position of waiting for Chansiri to chop joss     and as it goes he will be looking very sheapishly under his tree as its most likely just to be a card marked P45 and not Morgan Foxes girlfriend     or positively thinking he will get the Chop tonight or after failing to take 3pts against Bolton on Tuesday    

Christmas past ......Last Christmas i gave you my heart and the very next day you wripped it to shreds this year to save from tears ill drink alot more whiskey  

We managed just 4pts last Christmas drawing the first game against Hull throwing it away in the last minute    Moving on to 3 losses on the trot against Norwich Wolves and Borro which saw Carlos finaly nailed to the cross in that good old Christmas fantasy which for some strange reason a pagan god remarketed by coca cola has something to do with the Imaginary white dude in the middle of wraghead land who later fronted Def leopard     anyway he got the chop and Bullen took over winning the Boxing day game easy which although a Wednesday tradition surprised us all    along with fooling us into thinking that he might be the answer which turned out to be just a smoke screen so Chansiri didnt have to dip into his pocket in the next transfer window    and the season was well and truly over by the time Joss got here to watch from the stands our Facup game against Carlisle  

Christmas present ......... And if a double decker bus smashes into us to die by yourside will be a stupid thing todo  

Well its so depressing i can hardly see the keys for the pools of water from my tears ...sorry missing keys as its had so many thumps this year but the good old Acer could survive an atomic bomb dropped right on top of it (The cockroach of computers   ) but over the past few seasons the   have dried  up somewhat to a sense of coma like numbness with anything that wednesday are involved in  from shirts to the latest balls up of trying to sell DvDs  does anyone have a DvD player anymore  I ask   ..... Sorry im losing it ...back to the thread  

And anyway we have a very hard fixture list even if we did have a good team this is a tough one     3 away games were i cant see us getting more than 3pts tbh    Blackburn first were we have done well over the last few seasons but they have been shit and just recently they have sorted there act out a bit! apart from todays mauling from Preston im sure they will come good right on cue for us mugs   Then its on to Rotherhams FAcup final    Swansea and West brom away forget it    we cant play against 11 men 12 men is too much   premiership wankers     Borro on boxing day ? could we actualy sneak a win there maybe ? If the tea ladys in charge     and Preston who are almost always kind to us when they come to Hillsborough which i wouldnt bank on that either in our current balls up  

Christmas future To the last chorus of The Pistols Gods save the queen ...no future ....nooo future ....noooo future ..

All I can see at the moment is us coming into the new year pretty much the same as last with nothing to play for only the Facup and maybe a little not... big relegation scrap which will be put to bed pretty much like last seasons  which is pretty negative but the positive is this summer we will be free to build again yep chansiris in charge isnt he    

lets leave it there who knows what the future will bring ? yep we do its pretty obvious with chansiri ...leave it Imre    hopefully he will have sold up by next Christmas    

FIXTURES

SAT 1st DEC Blackburn A

SAT 8TH DEC  Rotherham  H

SAT 15TH DEC Swansea  A

SAT 22ND DEC  Preston  H

Boxing day WED 26TH DEC  Middlesbrough A

SAT 29TH  DEC  West Brom  A

1. For          pick the total points we will pick up copying allowed on this one as it will be tight

2.  For        pick out the total goals tally for and against giving the number of difference no copying allowed on this one and the nearest prediction wins  ( example  Sheff wed 15 goals opposite teams 12 goals  = + 3 Sheff wed

3.  For          the player of the month for December copying allowed and  this result shall be given later on in January when the official site gives us the winner

4.  For           Our top goal scorer for December copying allowed

5.  For            like we do on the normal thread home and away predictions copying allowed the posters with the most correct win example if it where needed   Doh   HDHHHA


Heres mine  

7PTS      

0      

Fessi          

Fessi      

DDDHAD        


Note Predictions shall only count if they are in before December 1st  


Happy Fat coca cola guy everyone have fun putting youre figures of that wacky white arab speaking jew dude around the stable and all that     just enjoy..... eat and drink well and dont beat the wife too much its not her fault we picked the wankest team in England to support      

I'll take it at this early stage of the Scot Cup campaign - a good draw and a home one too!