Well this is another home match for Scotland, this time in the Nations League. What team to choose for Steve Clarke? Not the one that played Israel last night! There is no doubt some players need to be rested anyway. So who comes in? O'Donnell and Jack are definitely my targets as well as McBurnie and Dykes. Paul McGinn drafted in to Clarke's squad - play him as he is prob Hibs top performer this season. There is poss a chance for Ryan Porteous to play (Gallagher injured last night) but that option could be more risky. We need a decent "ball player" to replace Jack - unsure re that choice but Aberdeen's McGeough comes to mind. Shankland to start this match alongside what other striker? It may have to be Dykes but Ryan Fraser must start this match as well!

Although I do think the current international football matches are a meaningless waste of time, and generally I wouldn't bother watching them, I did take time out to watch the ROI game if only to see how Robinson did.
Got to say the boy did well and was one of the stand out players. Maybe we do have a little gem on our hands, only time will tell but definitely positive signs.
Now this really really really pains me to say, and I'm only basing it on a highlights program, but how good was grealish? He certainly made his point to southgate, and how some of the other so called big clubs must regret not trying to sign him. Fair play to the vile in keeping him and tieing him down to a new contract. They will do alright this season (god that hurts).

A changed Hibs starting line-up made for a tighter game than expected although Hibs should've finished it by HT - not taking enough scoring opps.
Barnes, Gray, McGregor, Hanlon, Stevenson, Hallberg, S McGinn, Wright, Mallan, Murphy, Gullan.


However, Stevie Mallan scoring a "brace" and the captain finally finishing off a plucky BR side. Job done!

https://www.theguardian.com/football/202...are_btn_tw

Bobs Board, like me, seems universally convinced we need players. Unfortunately as Dancing points out you have to pay players and sometimes even pay for them. And it seems the price of having people in charge who care about the club's survival is that we are looking down the backs of sofas.

I'm sure the complaint that we lack pace holds water. We've lacked it for ages. I'm pretty sure Scott Boden is on the way down. Even his hair looks slightly unfit. I'm not convinced by criticism of Will Evans. He is capable of having a bad game and clearly he did. But his heart is in the right place and in creating a defensive unit that goes a long way.

Pembo is obviously already in danger of becoming a target and is accused of only looking at players he already knows. That might be true in the year of Covid, but it isn't his style. He was reputed to have personally driven 50,000 miles when looking for players in his spell at Kidderminster. As a player he was never accused of being under-active. But it is true we have no scouting network. As we have little budget it seems unlikely we are going to grow one either, so in view of the lack of money I'll list a few suggestions again with the realistic aim of trying to stave off relegation this season, so we can begin re-building next. Even if we are relegated the important thing is to survive in order to rebuild so:-

On another thread I gave you Kane Drummond, at 18 one for the future. On another thread I also came up with 20 year old Dami Olorunnisomo, because I love his name, but he's tearing up the opposition for Whyteleafe who are profiting from his speedy raids from right back. Whyteleafe also have an interesting if mercurial talent in Ryan Gondoh. He's about 6' tall and plays on the left either wing or fullback. He had a season at Colchester, ended up at Halifax on loan and is back at Whyteleafe and is early twenties and better than that level. We might also give Kaine Felix from Guiseley a try. He was a winger, seems to be converting to a striker, seems to be an every week player and he's still only 24. Oxford City seems to have an eye for finding a player, (like Tshimanga now topping scoring charts for Boreham Wood) and if we do want another defender 23 year-old Dan Matsuzaka, a Japanese U-19 international, could fit the bill, our division is only one step up for him. Lastly we seem permanently to lack guile, well I've mentioned before Lucas Rodrigues at Whitehawk in Brighton. He's a 22 year old Brazilian who did a degree at Brighton University. He's an attacking midfielder who scores a few goals and makes assists. Brazilians are born with guile.

So there we have it, budget scouting to keep Bobs Board happy.

If you do your predictions after these specified times, they will not be accepted.

Weekend games 12 pm
Midweek games 7:30 pm

Just a reminder that you can use your   on any fixture, but its not compulsory!! Get it right and you will score double points but getting it wrong will result in -2 points, so the reward and risk are there for all!!

Boreham Wood 0-2 Halifax
Bromley 0-3 Torquay
Chesterfield 1-0 Woking
Eastleigh 5-1 Altrincham
Maidenhead United 1-2 Hartlepool
Notts County 0-2 Barnet
Solihull Moors 2-1 King's Lynn
Stockport 4-0 Dover
Weymouth 1-3 Sutton United
Yeovil 1-1 Wrexham
Dag & Red 0-2 Wealdstone

League Table After Matchday 2
Dancing = 34
Lord Snoots = 24
Spireitematt = 24
Amelia = 20
Devon = 18
St Charles = 6

Player Pts CS CR GB BB SB
St Charles 15 2 4 -3 3 1
Sanjay 14 1 4 NP 3 1
Twerton 13 1 5 -3 3 1
Derby 12 0 4 5 3 0
Bomber 11 1 4 -3 3 1
Themaclad 11 1 4 -3 3 1
B.B.B. 9 1 3 -3 3 1
A.A.A. 8 0 3 NP 3 1
Amelia 8 0 4 5 -3 0
Snooty 4 0 5 -3 -3 0

Well the games this week saw a few strange results that with all due respect no one would have predicted and this in turn reduced the scores accordingly. Not much to choose between the scores this week with similar records for most players. With the international break upon us a few players will need a breather to try to find some form!

Top place goes to St Charles with 15 points, being the only player to get 2 CSs keeps his decent start to the season rolling along. He missed on the Gamball but like all the top 8 players this week he got a CR on the Bonus. Sanjay is in second place just a single point behind SCO. He too has had a solid start and this will keep him near the top of the table. He saved 3 points this week by not playing the Gamball on a game that most got wrong! Third spot goes to Twerton on 13 points, his best week of the season so far and a much needed one! He got a week's high 5 CRs but missed on the Gamball.

4th place is taken by Derby on 12 points, his score was kept down by not getting and correct scores, especially as he was one of only 2 players to get a CR on the Gamball. Joint 5th place sees Bomber and Themaclad finish with 11 points. Essentially identical scores for these two and they will both be glad not to be that far behind the leader this week. Our current BBB is in 7th place with 9 points, a haul that will see him retain the lead but the pack has closed on him a bit.

AAA and Amelia are joint 8th on 8 points. Amelia was the other player to score a CR on the Gamball but like AAA the lack of any CS is what keeps them near the bottom. Amelia also missed on the Bonus, something that this week was reserved for our Terrier friends only!! Last place for the second week in a row goes to Lord Snooty with just 4 points. He at least scored some points this week but missed on all his balls so the week's high 5 CRs he got were almost wiped out by the lack of any action from his balls!! Whistle

Not much change in the table this week due to everyone being so close. BBB retains his lead but SCO and Sanjay got closer to him. Bit of a gap down to AAA and Amelia and the rest of the pack. Snooty's poor form is seeing him tumble down the table but the two defending Champions, Bomber and Twerton still find themselves rooted to the bottom 2 spots.

Cheers
SCO


BBB 55pts
SCO 52
Sanjay 49
AAA 40
Amelia 37
Themaclad 32
Snooty 26
Derby 27
Bomber 24
Twerton 17



Silver 18pts 2CS 8CR 0GB -3BB 1SB
Minizin 17pts 2CS 7CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Somerset 17pts 2CS 7CR -3G 3BB 1SB
Beefy 11pts 2CS 6CR -3GB -3BB 1SB
BaggieOne 9pts 2CS 3CR -3GB 6BB 0SB
LadyJane 7pts 0CS 4CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Zinman 7pts 0CS 4CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Stairs 5pts 0CS 4CR 0GB -3BB 0SB
DD 4pts 0CS 3CR -3GB 3BB 0SB
Joker 1pt 0CS 3CR -3GB -3BB 1SB
1TrueBaggie 0pts 0CS 3CR -3GB -3BB 0SB

Ok, before I comment on this week's scores, a rant. While we recognise that Beefy's instructions aren't as clear as they could be (in fairness, English isn't his first language but if he'd written them in Whale song we'd really be struggling), it seems that some of you are still getting your balls mixed up. Or maybe my threat of locking you in a room with a starved Beefy actually appeals (see wk 1 report), in which case you're probably on the wrong website.

To hopefully make it clear:
You have 3 balls to play with - this may be more than you're used to but we're a generous lot at the Prediction League HQ:
The bonus ball (the mortar board emoji) can be played on any one game other than the gamball match.
The scoreball (the tongue emoji) can be played on any one game, but we'd prefer you not to play it on the gamball as it causes us much confusion (we're easy to confuse).
The gamball (the hand over face emoji) can only be played on the selected gamball game - the one with 2 asterisks beside it - though you don't need to play it if you don't want to.

If you have trouble posting the emojis (they don't work as well on some platforms or if you post using the quick reply option) just type bonus/score/gamball against your chosen match.

And breathe.

A fair spread of scores this week. We did look on for a high scoring week until the last Sunday matches which caused carnage. 5 players achieved their highest score of the season so far. Interestingly (at least for a sad numbers person like me) the total Championship weekly scores have been remarkable consistent so far this season with each week totalling between 96 and 103 points and on 3 of the weeks, 18 points has secured first place. Only one player has so far registered a negative score, in case you need reminding, that was Beefy last week. Only 1 player got the gamball result correct........and he didn't play it!

It was a good week for this season's newcomers (well, for most of them) as Silver tops the table, closely followed by Minizin and Somerset. Silver actually scored on 9 of the matches with the only one he missed out on being his bonus! Just a point behind are Minizin and Somerset with identical records, 2 correct scores, an excellent 7 correct results and both losing points on the gamball.

A bit of a gap to Beefy in 4th place showing an improvement on his score of minus 3 last week (in case you'd forgotten again). Beefy just scraped into double figures with his balls preventing him from challenging the leaders. BaggieOne, Lady Jane and Zinman sit in mid table though for B1 and LJ their scores were their best so far this season.

Stairs will be rueing his decision not to play the gamball as he was the only player to predict a Spurs win and DD was grateful for getting his bonus result correct. Joker's score ball point kept him in positive territory and above this week's wooden spoonist, OneTrueBaggie. 1TB headed the overall table last week but came crashing down to earth as the odd man out amongst the newbies.

These results will see a complete change in the overall table (at least according to my calculations). Somerset has climbed from 4th to head the table, closely followed by Minizin - beginner's luck! Zinman drops out of the automatic promotion places and 1TB's dreadful week takes him from top to 4th. Beefy will be happy to have climbed above Joker (he's easily pleased) with Stairs sandwiched between them - not somewhere anyone wants to be. Lady Jane may have had her best week but will stay at the foot of the table with Silver's great week lifting him out of the bottom 3.

A week's break now but when we get back - get your bloody balls right!

Zin


Somerset 52pts
Minizin 51
Zinman 47
Onetrue 43
Beefy 41
Stairs 38
Joker 37
BaggieOne 31
Silver 28
DD 24
Lady Jane 15


SITUATIONS VACANT

TABLES COMPILER

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has offered to pay the salary of Jerry Quy, the man who plays the role of club mascot Gunnersaurus.
On Monday, the Gunners announced that Quy, who has been part of the matchday experience at Arsenal for 27 years, was one of 55 redundancies.
“I was so sad that Jerry Quy, aka our famous and loyal mascot Gunnersaurus and integral part of our club, was being made redundant after 27 years,” said the 31-year-old German in a post on Twitter.
“As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54440357

Good lad. Always liked him.

Meanwhile, the money saved on wages by making all those people redundant has been spent wisely by forking out another £45m for another midfielder.          

So I watched Warrington Rylands take on York City in the FA Cup. York look a big strong side who should be a good bet in National One North. Sean Newton from the back will make them a threat at every dead ball. Matty Brown should provide defensive solidity and they won't be outmuscled up front.

Nevertheless the Warrington lads bridged the gap between the sides pretty well and one player in particular impressed me. They have an 18 year old called Kane Drummond. If I were in charge at Chesterfield (you are allowed to think thank God he's not) I'd sign him. They got him from Liverpool's Academy when he was kicked out at 16. Apparently footie was all he ever wanted. I've seen pictures of him then and he was certainly small, which wouldn't have helped with the pro's. Robbie Fowler helped a lot of lads like him and Kane Drummond has become the first player Warrington Rylands ever contracted. Now against York he worked his socks off. He isn't big but he has grown, but he wasn't being knocked off the ball by the big York side. He helped out defence, made passes from midfield, worked his wing, has a few tricks, good control and was the only one who looked like scoring. He's got heart and that goes a long way. He will play much higher. He got ten goals last season and took a League player of the month in the NW Counties.

I'd do a deal to get him and as part of the deal I'd allow him to stay on loan at least until the New Year, possibly the whole season. He's developing and we wouldn't give him the games he needs just yet. He'd be a star turn with us next season. I'd let Warrington have a percentage in any sell-on fee and we should be ready to put that into any future transfer deal. He'll go higher. He would be an investment. Other clubs are watching him so our traditional snail's pace won't be sufficient. (If he hasn't got an agent I'd take the job on for free!)

A Euro play-off, one of the biggest international matches for Scotland in a long time, is suddenly looming ever closer and one can only hope that Steve Clarke gets his formation right and his team choice as well. I think three at the back should be "binned" as that experiment has clearly failed but I suspect he is still gonna play it. It is a game we clearly must try to win and I'm guessing that Clarke will try to be defensively solid but will favour a positive hi-press mid to front line. Dykes will likely be the CF but should he have an inside forward (Armstrong?) alongside him to give additional support? I'm wondering if Robertson should actually be played in the LB position esp after that 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool by Villa last night? Also IMO he has hardly played a good game for Scotland either! Therefore Tierney to take up that position? Also the CB positions need to be secured - choose wisely Steve! I also agree with Mikey Stewart and, like him, would like to see Sparky pulled into the squad and put on the subs' bench for poss use late on in this match. We do not have many predatory strikers like Leigh Griffiths and even though I don't think he is fully match fit, don't underestimate his ability to score goals, esp crucial ones.