Monday, 20 May 2024

Week 30 Results - Points record for Aardvarks

Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 1 v 1 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 
Markian United 3 v 1 San Dimas High School
Mega Buck Bandits 3 v 3 The Wateringhole Society 
Real Muppets 2 v 4 The Cow-Faced Juniors
Stanley and Gracie United 3 v 0 Cheese Makers 
Trusted By Millions 6 v 3 Claymore Athletic FC 
Wheel Madrid 0 v 4 The Fabulous Artisans
YTFIB 0 v 1 Aardvark Abacus 

TeamPWDLFADiffPts
1Aardvark Abacus302325103505371
2The Fabulous Artisans301821074502456
3The Cow-Faced Juniors30174971611055
4Trusted By Millions301668102683454
5The Wateringhole Society301631175641151
6Stanley and Gracie United30162126257550
7Claymore Athletic FC301541164521249
8Markian United30142145768-1144
9San Dimas High School30134136759843
10Real Muppets30127116762543
11Mega Buck Bandits30107135158-737
12Cheese Makers30105155667-1135
13Fred West Landscape Gardening XI3096155972-1333
14Wheel Madrid3059164780-3324
15Nil Satis Nisi Optimum3056193167-3621
16YTFIB3045213182-5117


Aardvark Abacus got the win they needed (1-0 at YTFIB) to make this a multiple-record breaking season. Watkins and Son scored 31 league goals between them and Ben White was a solid presence at the back. Just one league defeat since week ten shows the level of dominance. It’s been eight years since a team has won back-to-back titles, could Ady re-set that stat next season?

Runner-up spot went to The Fabulous Artisans for the fourth time. Top until week 12 Ben’s team suffered a massive winter wobble winning just six times in the league between December and the end of April. Might need another striker to take some pressure of Nicolas Jackson if he’s finally to reach the top step.

The Cow-Faced Juniors finished in the top three for a second season running. Always on the back-foot after just four wins in the opening nine, third place seems a good return. One of the league’s best midfields but one of many teams that’ll be pursuing a goalscorer in the summer.

How on earth did Trusted By Millions miss out on a top three place? Just as prolific as the Aardvarks in the scoring department there was a duff period in early season (six without a win) that probably made the difference. At least has the Charity Shield to show for the season’s work.

The Wateringhole Society’s season was compromised from the off by Ivan Toney’s absence until January. Marcus Rashford and Cody Gakpo didn’t step up and new signing Christopher Nkunku missed much of the campaign through injury. Expect better next year.

While they were chasing second for a while Stanley and Gracie United can be content with maximising their resources to finish sixth. Dominic Solanke starred for SGU and Aaron has an excellent young player in Harry Wilson. Can he resist daft Chelsea signings this summer though?

Claymore Athletic FC were in the second place race for a while but ended seventh. It’s a big step up on last year’s bottom place for Clive. He still tinkered but at least tinkered a bit better and he’ll be hoping that big signing Rasmus Hojlund will improve after a year getting to grips with the league.

The last place in the top half went to Markian United. Ian’s team were second after week 12 but a spectacularly poor run of just one win in 12 league games put an end to a high finish. It was always going to be difficult to replace Harry Kane, Darwin Nunez has not looked the man to do that yet.

San Dimas High School were doing their best work in the last couple of months and finished ninth for the second season running when Havertz and Gvardiol started to click. My team are definitely another in the market for a 15 goals+ a season striker but they don’t grow on trees.

An FA Cup win, beaten in the PCMT Final, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, De Bruyne, Ederson - yet only tenth place for Real Muppets, for the third season running. Ryan will be having a close look at the missing pieces of his jigsaw and see what it takes to get him back in the upper reaches of the table.

Mega Buck Bandits finished 11th. As Dave has only finished in the top half once in 16 seasons this isn’t too much of a surprise. There will be a question mark over the future of Carlton Morris and Dave can’t rely on Michail Antonio like he used to.

Cheese Makers were in fourth after week nine but fell away badly after that. Bryan Mbeumo’s injury played a part in Matthew’s slide while he missed Tyrone Mings and Manor Solomon for practically the whole season. Still one or two players away from where he wants to be.

It was a familiar pattern for Fred West Landscape Gardening XI. Over the last six seasons the year after winning the title is followed by a fallow year. Bruno Fernandes and Morgan Gibbs-White did their best but there are signs of Mo Salah slowing down. A rebuild beckons.

Wheel Madrid will care less than most about their league position after winning their first trophy, the PCMT. Paul’s team picked up after that cup win (with only 6 points from the first half of the season that wasn’t too difficult) and will have hopes of a better showing next season.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum were another team who made a shocking start, just five points at the mid-point of the season. Lost just once out of the last seven games to avoid the wooden spoon. Paul S isn’t going to change so watch out for those Everton signings again.

And then we come to YTFIB. No team has finished bottom more than Julian’s but that looked a long shot after 12 weeks when they were sat on 15 points in twelfth. Only two more points followed all season. Is this the worst run ever? Can I be bothered to find out?


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