Saturday 26 February 2011

Another San Dimas Signing

I must have been one of the busiest managers in the market this season. Theo Walcott's latest injury has forced me into a new signing as the midfielder may miss my Cup semi-final.

With Jack Rodwell, Stephen Hunt and Hatem Ben Arfa  already sidelined I felt I needed extra attacking-minded cover in the middle of the park.

So, Newcastle midfielder Cheik Tiote has joined San Dimas and that means that the long-serving defensive-minded Fabrice Muamba has to leave the club.

Monday 14 February 2011

Week 21 Results

Aardvark Abacus 1 v 0 The Cow-Faced Juniors
Athletico Phoenix 2 v 0 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 2 v 0 San Dimas High School
Mega Buck Bandits 0 v 2 Bassett Allsorts
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 2 York’s Returning Glory
The Dead Parrots 0 v 3 Real Muppets
The Fabulous Artisans 0 v 6 Final Fantasy XI
Trusted By Millions 1 v 4 Claymore Athletic FC

Lightning didn't strike twice. Fred West were dumped out of the Cup by San Dimas a couple of weeks ago but the league match brought a routine win for the leaders. Nani outpaced my defence to fire home at the end of the first half and then David Silva fluked one in off his back. If anyone's going to stop Fred it's probably going to be the Muppets. An in-form Raul Meireles got Ryan's first against the Parrots and Danny Sturridge, enjoying a run in the team, added the second which lifts his team to second.

Boston Rock's slump continues after a 2-0 defeat to the improving Phoenix. If Fernando Torres is worth £31m how much for Robin van Persie right now? The Dutchman bagged both goals for Brian who is eyeing a place in the top ten after a dreadful start to the season. The fourth-placed CFJs were also beaten this week. Asamoah Gyan's sharp turn and shot on 11 minutes settled the game and all of a sudden Ady is closing on the top four.

The teams in fifth and sixth lost too. Trusted went down 4-1 to Claymore despite going in front through Michael Dawson. Clive's team were level on 78 minutes thanks to Wayne Rooney's spectacular overhead kick and that finish inspired the team to a comfortable victory. Claymore look the strongest of our Cup semi-finalists. If you look up inconsistent in a dictionary it might say see the Fabulous Artisans results! After losing to the Allsorts in the Cup then beating the CFJs Ben's team collapsed to a 6-0 defeat to Final Fantasy. Ceri's team climb off the bottom with this win which was led by two from new signing Demba Ba. Did we all miss a trick there!

The race to round out the bottom half looked to be a straight fight between me and Dean but everyone down to 13th must fancy their chances. Bassett are eleventh after seeing off possible Cup Final opponents Mega Bucks 2-0. The result sends Dave bottom. One place above the Mega Bucks, with a two goal better goal difference is Nil Satis. Paul's woeful run continuing with a clean sheet defeat to York's.

Saturday 12 February 2011

Transfer records fall at auction

Three teams broke their transfer records at this week's transfer auction.

Fred West broke the overall WSFFL record by paying £31m for Fernando Torres. That's £3m more than Fred paid for Didier Drogba in August 2004. The two players will now link up to try to propel Fred to his first title.

This takes Fred's spending on players this season to a mind-boggling £108m.

The CFJs paid £25m for Luis Suarez. This more than doubles the previous club record of £11m paid for Nicolas Anelka in August 2006.

Trusted by Millions upped their record by a million after paying £20m for Edin Dzeko. Beef's previous most expensive signing?  Andrei Shevcenko in July 2006.

WSFFL Top Transfer Fees Paid

£31m Fernando Torres to Fred West LG XI (Feb 2011)
£28m Didier Drogba to Fred West LG XI (Aug 2004)
£27m Mario Balotelli to the Artisans (Sep 2011)
£25m Luis Suarez to the CFJs (Feb 2011)
£22m Fernando Morientes to Muppets (Jan 2005)
£21.6m Hernan Crespo to Claymore (Aug 2003)
£20m Dimitar Berbatov to Fred West LG XI (Aug 2006)
£20m Thomas Vermaelen to Real Muppets (Aug 2009)
£20m Edin Dzeko to Trusted (Feb 2011)

FA Cup semi-final draw

The two most-decorated managers in WSFFL (Ady and Sheriff if you didn't know) pulled the names out of the yellow bag at the auction this week. They dealt us these matches...

Claymore Athletic FC v Bassett Allsorts
San Dimas High School v Mega Buck Bandits

Games to be played on the weekend of 19 March.

Sunday 6 February 2011

Week 20 (and Cup replay Results)

FA Cup Quarter-final Replay

Mega Buck Bandits 2 v 1 You Know Your Boston Rock FC

Mega Bucks finish the job second time round and the holders bow out. As in midweek Kieran Richardson and Charlie Adam do the damage.

Week 20

Bassett Allsorts 0 v 6 Athletico Phoenix
Claymore Athletic FC 2 v 2 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Final Fantasy XI 2 v 4 Aardvark Abacus
Mega Buck Bandits 2 v 3 Trusted By Millions
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 2 The Dead Parrots
Real Muppets 7 v 2 San Dimas High School
The Cow-Faced Juniors 2 v 4 The Fabulous Artisans
York’s Returning Glory 2 v 5 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI

Seven wins from his last ten games should be enough to give Fred his first title. After scoring twice in six minutes Fred needed clean sheets to see off a Joey Barton-led York's fightback. Boston Rock's sticky patch continued with a draw at Claymore who at last seem to be stirring. Sheriff needing two clean sheets to level James McCarthy's brace.

The Muppets have ousted the CFJs from third place with a 7-2 demolition of San Dimas. A first half hat-trick from Carlos Tevez keeps him hot on the heels of Dimitar Berbatov in the player of the season running. The CFJ's went down 4-2 to the Artisans which means Ben joins Chris, Ryan, Sheriff and Beef in a five way battle for second.

Beef started his post Fernando Torres era with a win at Mega Bucks. Robert Huth's late double turning round the game after Dave had led 2-1 with seven minutes left. Dave wishing he could take his Cup form to the league where only his wife is now below him in the table.  Ceri is two points adrift after losing to an improving Aardvarks but this was another match where clean sheets made the difference.

Brian must be wondering where these sort of Phoenix performances were in the first half of the season. Robin van Persie scored twice as Brian battered Bassett 6-0. None of our Cup semi-finalists won this week. The Dead Parrots arrested their recent slide by beating Nil Satis and climbing back in to the top half. Paul's team are now the league's lowest scorers.

Saturday 5 February 2011

Torres: Why I wanted out of Trusted

Fernando Torres has spoken about why he put a transfer request in to Trusted By Millions and subsequently left for a club record £50,000,000.

The Spanish striker joined Beef's club in August 2007 for £16.5m but had become frustrated at the club's failure to land trophies. The best the club managed during Torres' time with them was third in the league and two cup semi-finals.

Torres said of the 2000/01 champions: "I think they have great ambition and they are doing the right things to get back, but it will take time. I didn't have that time."

He also refuted that he had been angling for a move with a series of poor performances: "I never lost my ambition. Too many people are talking about that - that's just opinions. I was playing out of form for a month."

The Spaniard struck 49 times during his tenure at Trusted and will be looking to join a new club at Tuesday's auction. "Big money means big expectation. I'm more than ready for the challenge. I'm excited abut a new life and new era."

Ironically Torres' departure may give Beef the funds to get back to WSFFL's top table.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

FA Cup Quarter-final Results

San Dimas High School 3 v 2 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
The Fabulous Artisans 0 v 2 Bassett Allsorts
York’s Returning Glory 1 v 3 Claymore Athletic FC
You Know Your Boston Rock FC 3 v 3 Mega Buck Bandits

Well, what a set of results! Perhaps February the 1st and 2nd will be forever known as the 'Nights of the Upsets'. Well, nearly! Boston Rock have won the Cup in the last two seasons but the bid for a second Cup hat-trick was almost derailed by the Mega Bucks. Despite trailing to a Frank Lampard penalty Dave's team ended the half 2-1 ahead. Sheriff was back in front within 15 minutes of the restart through Bent and Terry but could not find a clincher and was left stunned by a second-half clean sheet from Ian Evatt that give the Bucks a second crack at the holders.

The next shock was San Dimas turning over league leaders Fred West. Peter Odemwingie beat the Fred offside trap to put my team ahead early but Alex Kolarov's well-placed free-kick had honours even by the break. Nemanja Vidic blasted Fred ahead just after the hour mark but it wasn't to prove enough. A clean sheet from recently re-signed Sam Ricketts made it 2-2 and the game was won by late substitute Neil Eardley's clean. It's my first semi-final in any competition for six seasons.

The Artisans have been one of the league's form teams since November but they can still throw in a stinker every now and again and the underdog Allsorts took advantage. Solomon Kalou broke the deadlock when he slid a through ball past the advancing Artisans keeper and Ben W couldn't produce an equaliser. Ben F's men rounded off the win with a Brede Hangeland clean. The Allsorts 'franchise' have never appeared in an FA Cup Final.

Claymore haven't had too many good days this season but now have their eye on some silverware. If Clive can get Wayne Rooney firing between now and the end of the season it could put a real gloss on a poor campaign. Rooney fired a brace at the start and end of the half to see off any hopes of a York's victory after Peter Crouch had headed an early equaliser. Claymore's last appearance in a FA Cup Final was six seasons ago.

We'll do the draw at the auction night. The semi-finals are set for 19 March.