Wednesday 28 October 2009

PCMT Semi-final draw

Last year's top four make up this season's final four in the Paul Cartmell Memorial Trophy. here's how they will line up on 28 November.

The Cow-Faced Juniors v Aardvark Abacus
You Know Your Boston Rock FC v Trusted By Millions

So last year's finalists (Aardvark and Boston) have avoided each other, CFJs v Aardvark is a repeat of last year's semi (Ady won 6-1) and if my memory serves Trusted were the last team to beat Boston Rock in this competition three years ago.

Monday 26 October 2009

Week 7 (and PCMT QF Replay result)

Aardvark Abacus 3 v 1 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Athletico Phoenix 4 v 2 Mega Buck Bandits
Final Fantasy XI 5 v 1 San Dimas High School
Real Muppets 2 v 2 Trusted By Millions
The Cow-Faced Juniors 3 v 1 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
The Dead Parrots 1 v 0 Claymore Athletic FC
York’s Returning Glory 0 v 2 The Fabulous Artisans
You Know Your Boston Rock FC 2 v 2 22-Legged Groove Machine

Paul Cartmell Memorial Cup Quarter Final Replay

The Dead Parrots 1 v 2 Aardvark Abacus

The Abacus hit the top.

Wednesday 21 October 2009

PCMT Quarter-final Results

Aardvark Abacus 1 v 1 The Dead Parrots
San Dimas High School 0 v 1 The Cow-Faced Juniors
Trusted By Millions 4 v 1 The Fabulous Artisans
You Know Your Boston Rock FC 4 v 0 Real Muppets

The holders go rolling on in the competition they're making their own. Boston Rock slammed the Muppets who never really recovered after going behind on five minutes to Darren Bent's beach ball-deflected effort. Sheriff's team were four up at the break and closed the game out comfortably.

Not such an easy time for last season's beaten finalists though. Aardvark being held to a draw by the lowly Parrots, Phil Bardsley grabbing the equalising clean in a POTW-winning performance for Dean.

The CFJs made it successive semi-finals in this competition after edging past San Dimas, Martin Petrov getting the decisive goal for Chris.

Trusted are back in the last four of a Cup competition for the first time in three years. That was when they became the last team other than Boston Rock to win the PCMT. Easy win for Beef in the end over a 'concentrating on the league' Artisan performance.

Semi-finals are set for the weekend of 28 November. I'll do the draw when we have the final four.

Friday 16 October 2009

Trumpet Voluntary - The latest from the Artisans camp

Ben Warr, manager of the Fabulous Artisans, provides an early season report.

It's ok, read on, I'm not going to start blowing my own trumpet again. In fact, having blown it the team went on to lose its next game against Athletico Phoenix, whose manager, new to the league Brian Woolford, wasted no time in sticking the knife in...."A famous victory over the cocky Warr. Sending me his team and then virtually picking another one with all the dodges. But even with two teams he could not pull off a victory."

There's a lesson in there somewhere - I've seen it a hundred times before but never taken heed, it's worth getting egg on your face for the banter factor alone. I looked for an appropriate picture on the internet to sum up how I felt - I found a poster which said 'Welcome to Loserville - population you!'

On a serious note, the team has started the season brilliantly led by a resurgent Craig Bellamy (I remember with fondness our co-ordinator's disbelief when I retained Bellamy rather than take the cash when he was transferred to City) and Hugo Rodallega who is turning out to be quite a steal at £7.5M.

I fear for Johan Elmander, my misfiring record signing (£11.5M) at the beginning of last season - what with Craig and Hugo on fire, plus another 6 promising strikers just itching for their opportunity in the starting line-up....anyone fancy a regularly playing Bolton striker and preapred to pay more than £5.75M? You never know, he may just turn the corner and I get left with egg on my face again!

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about my position in the league at the moment, and I'm still in the Cup (against Trusted this weekend), so I can take the odd mishap. Now then, did someone mention something about a big four?!?!..........

Saturday 10 October 2009

Week 6 Results

22-Legged Groove Machine 2 v 1 The Dead Parrots
Claymore Athletic FC 1 v 3 Final Fantasy XI
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 1 v 2 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Mega Buck Bandits 1 v 3 Real Muppets
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 1 The Cow-Faced Juniors
San Dimas High School 1 v 0 York’s Returning Glory
The Fabulous Artisans 2 v 3 Athletico Phoenix
Trusted By Millions 0 v 1 Aardvark Abacus

Fred and Paul's 100% records go by the wayside.

Thursday 1 October 2009

Final Keeper for Ceri?

The pool is now closed for ten days or so but there was enough time for Ceri to sign Vito Mannone.

Mannone is one of many goalkeepers who have been through Ceri's books this season. Anti Niemi, Marcus Hahnemann and Boaz Myhill have all joined, Kaspar Schmeichel, Niemi and Hahnemann have left.

Looking back through the old transfers keepers seem to have given Ceri a headache for some seasons. Fabien Barthez and Tim Howard have both been sold for £5m and upwards in the past and £5m was also shelled out for Kostas Chalkias.

The Greek turned out to be a huge flop, fingers crossed for Ceri that Mannone continues his recent good form he's shown at Arsenal when he makes his debut for 'the Robins' this weekend.

WSFFL Rulebook - The Dodge

The Dodge (or Bevan Dodge, named after Ady Bevan, its' originator) is a sneaky but legitimate way to maximising your WSFFL scoring opportunities.

Put simply the players you choose as your substitutes play in the earlier game(s) of a Premier League weekend. That gives you time to assess their performance before making any team changes.

If your subs then score or keep a clean sheet you have the opportunity to replace one
of your starting players whose team has yet to play, with someone whose team has also yet
to play. You can then select a player that you know won't play so your substitute counts towards your team score.


NB: If you have a player in your squad not registered to a Premier League club you can't use him for a dodge. If he is on loan to a club outside of the Prem then that is fine but if he is a free agent or plying his trade outside the league then you can't dodge him in.