A nice story to start with this week, one of our intrepid FFL managers is a musician extraordinaire (ok so there’s a few of you out there) but only one of you has been commissioned to write a Cup Final song. Here’s the details for all you supporting Gretna on saturday…..from David McCallum, manager of Hugs Thistle XI
Our Cup Final single “Living the Dream” with Gretna FC has charted in the UK Indie Charts this week at #26 and so far it’s only available through HMV and Virgin in Carlisle and Glasgow. But now it’s now available to download for you guys not in the Borders or in the Glaswegian archipelago. Here’s a link to one site where it’s available, but choose your own favourite if you wish: -
http://www.karmadownload.com/album/?2149746
£0.89 well spent I say
The Hugh Trowsers Band
The Cash
Just 5 now outstanding, 1 to be paid in cash, 2 by bank transfer and 1 who has gone for my offer of double or quits on Barcelona v Arsenal. If Barca win we have a tenner in the pot, if Arsenal win I’ll put in the fiver. We need that extra fiver to cover our expected bad debt…….
If you do the maths you’ll see that, yes we do have a defaulter who despite numerous emails and reminders is giving me the rubber ear. Disappointing lack of respect for all you fellow managers out there, but he didn’t have to run off to Australia because of it.
The absconder in question is Roman’s Return, Simon George who has followed his forefathers in getting on the prison (air) ship to Botany Bay. Being a Chelsea fan you would think he would be able to stump up the modest entry fee but nothing has been received via our international payment friend, Paypal and no communication at all. Do I hear the phrase sine die (ala Willie Woodburn)? I will if there is no coughing up by next week. Maybe the cost of living in Sydney is too high these days…..
The last week of the Premiership and all scores have been settled. Birmingham, West Brom and Sunderland won’t feature in your thoughts next year, with Reading, Sheffield United and either Watford or Leeds perhaps playing some small part. Arsenal pipped Spurs to the final champs league place (more of that later) and joined champions Chelsea.
The Games
Matchday 55
Blackburn 1 Chelsea 0
How many penalties did Chelsea not get in this one/how many players should the opposition had sent off. Even when its meaningless its never moaningless. Reid with winner as Blackburn head for Europe.
Goals: Reid
Assists: Savage
YC: Savage, Gray. Geremi, Duff
RC:
MoM: Bellamy
Bolton 1 Middlesbrough 1
Even less people interested in this games that there would normally be. The new England manager versus the never going to be because of his high ball style non England manager. Vaz Te and Johnson swapped goals.
Goals: Vaz Te, Johnson
Assists: Okocha
YC: Vaz Te. Cattermole
RC:
MoM: Faye
Sunderland 2 Fulham 1
If Sunderland were ever going to get a win before the end of the season it was going to be against a team who haven’t won away this season, and were also safe from relegation and no chance of Europe. A typical Fulham season. Radzinski, untypically scored while Le Tallec and Brown completely untypically trumped him.
Goals: Le Tallec, Brown. Radzinski
Assists: Welsh, Nosworthy
YC: Caldwell, McCartney, Whitehead, Brown. Pearce, Bridge, Christanval, Elliott
RC:
MoM: Nosworthy
Man City 1 Arsenal 3
Arsenal gave themselves the chance of making the Champions League and in so doing put the “wind” up Tottenham. Henry was the puppeteer with Reyes and Ljungberg his willing pupils scoring three between them. A consolation from Sommeil (his last City goal before being released) was no consolation for a very poor end to the season.
Goals: Sommeil. Reyes 2, Ljungberg
Assists: Barton, Sinclair. Henry 2, Pires, Eboue
YC: Vassell, Riera, Dunne.
RC:
MoM: Henry
Matchday 56
West Ham 2 Tottenham 1
A real case of squeaky bum time for Tottenham although its supposed to happen on the pitch and not in the pre-match hotel conveniences. A dodgy Italian (and I don’t mean Lorenzo) was to blame for their demise although the authorities have not ruled out foul play. ‘Replay it’ say Spurs, but given that the Premier League announced that the show must go on from Highbury, I would suggest it is a done deal. Benayoun and Fletcher added to the irritation, soothed only by the unaffected Defoe’s first half goal. Teddy did his best with a weak penalty that Paul Robinson could have mopped up.
Goals: Benayoun, Fletcher. Defoe
Assists: Reo-Coker, Newton. Carrick
YC: Newton
RC:
MoM: Benayoun
Arsenal 4 Wigan 2
And so that left the bathroom door wide open for Arsenal to hurtle through. In the first half Wigan were as dangerous as a meal at the Marriott (allegedly), although not quite as over-priced (£11.95 for a burger - I ask you!). Thompson and Scharner with their first half goals that put the shtters up the other side of Norf London. Henry was the hero of course with an inevitable hat-trick that calmed the nerves, another from Pires had got them going. Into the CL next year regardless of the score in the final which is just as well, because Barcelona’s name is on the trophy!
Goals: Henry 3, Pires. Thompson, Scharner
Assists: Pires, Campbell, Fabregas. Thompson
YC: Fabregas, Jackson
RC: Johansson
MoM: Henry
Man Utd 4 Charlton 0
Fergie presented Curbs with two tickets to New Zealand before this match and by the end, Curbs was damn sure he was going to use them. He would have gone at half time if he could have. Saha, Ronaldo and Richardson plus an own goal from Euell gave the score a deserved look.
Goals: Saha, Ronaldo, Richardson, o.g
Assists: Saha, Brown, Giggs
YC: Richardson
RC:
MoM: Richardson
Newcastle 1 Chelsea 0
Ach the wheels are off now, crisis at Stamford Bridge. You know you’ve put out a substandard team and don’t care a jot when Totus Bramble scores the winner against you. The whole defence should have been sent off of course, so it was a moral Chelsea victory.
Goals: Bramble
Assists: Faye, Emre
YC: Babayaro, Moore, Nzogbia, Emre
RC: Carr
MoM:Nzogbia
Aston Villa 2 Sunderland 1
A joyless win for Villa and another defeat for Sunderland. A penalty miss for Barry and goals for Ridgewell, Barry and Collins. That’s the facts, a summer of change ahead for both sides. A change of division for Sunderland and a change of manager for Villa.
Goals: Barry, Ridgewell. Collins
Assists: Davis 2. Whitehead
YC: McCann, Ridgewell, McCann. Whitehead, Breen
RC:
MoM: Barry
Bolton 1 Birmingham 0
Going through the motions now, that’s both these teams and me too. Vaz Te with the non important winner.
Goals: Vaz Te
Assists: Nolan
YC: Taylor
RC:
MoM: Vaz Te
Portsmouth 1 Liverpool 3
Liverpool’s strikers have well and truly found their shooting boots just before the FA Cup final: Crouch, Cisse and Fowler all scoring. Portsmouth have done the needed and did no more although Koroman managed to get on the scoresheet.
Goals: Koroman. Fowler, Crouch, Cisse
Assists: Routledge. Kewell, Morientes, Cisse, Crouch
YC: Taylor
RC:
MoM: Fowler
Everton 2 West Brom 2
Big Dunc got his last Everton goal and also his first of the season in a career that’s hardly been prolific. He contrived to miss a penalty before netting the 2nd rebound. The other goals came from Anichebe (who he?), Martinez and Gera
Goals: Anichebe, Ferguson. Gera, Martinez
Assists: Arteta. Greening 2, Gera
YC: Neville. Carter, Wallwork
RC:
MoM: Kuzczak
Fulham 1 Middlesbrough 0
And so a Premiership season ends as Boro rest virtually all their first two teams and play the kids. A real achievement to play a full team from the academy, yes, but not if they don’t actually win. Anyone can play a team of kids, doesn’t mean they’re any good. Boro’s uefa cup final thumping shows thye’ve been punching above their weight this season, but it was one Helguson penalty that finished them here.
Goals: Helguson
Assists:
YC:
RC:
MoM: Bridge
Man City 0 Blackburn 2
Man City are just glad to go on holiday and still be in the Premiership, a real summer of work ahead of Pearce. He was honest enough to say it though. Blackburn underlined a good season with goals from Kuqi and Khizanishvilli as Mark Hughes made the very best of what they have.
Goals: Kuqi, Khizanishvilli
Assists: Emerton
YC: Richards, Sinclair, Distin, Dunne. Bentley, Neill
RC: Tugay
MoM: Savage
The Points
Matchday 55
13 Henry
11 Reyes
9 Nosworthy
7 Bellamy, Ljungberg
Matchday 56
GK
10 Kuczszak
6 Niemi, Given, Van der Sar, Friedel, Jaaskelaine
DEF
11 Bramble, Bridge, Khizanishvilli
9 Brown
6 Ferdinand, Rosenior, Silvestre, Gray, Christanval, Faye, Volz, Ben Haim, Bocanegra
MID
11 Benayoun
10 Richardson
9 Gera, Thompson, Pires
8 Greening, Davis
7 Ronaldo, Fletcher, Barry, Savage
STR
22 Henry
11 Fowler, Vaz Te
9 Cisse, Crouch, Saha
7 Defoe, Kuqi
The Table
This week a look at how the big guns scored. In matchday 55, it looked like this:
Dynamo Flummery 28
Sarah’s Stars 2
BBQ Spare Ribs 15
Jack Bauer 11
Ramitin 4
Shambollox 2
Matchday 56 was all about Henry, with 22 points add in Benayoun, Fowler et all and if you didn’t have some of these guys then it was going to be difficult to register a decent score
Dynamo Flummery 27
Sarah’s Stars 22
BBQ Spare Ribs 48
Jack Bauer 20
Ramitin 12
Shambollox 59
That leaves Dynamo Flummery out in front by 16 points from BBQ Spare Ribs and Shambollox, Jack Bauer and Sarah’s Stars all fighting for 3rd.
The Second Half
BBQ Spare Ribs hit the front and with so many players in the final look a good bet to hang on.
The Manager of the Month
Hot on the heels of April (voucher on way John) comes May’s award next week.
The FA Cup Final
The decider in FFL land and the teams in contention have the following players:
Dynamo Flummery: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Gerrard, Sissoko
BBQ Spare Ribs: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard, Benayoun
Shambollox Rovers: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Finnan, Gerrard, Kewell, Benayoun, Fowler (ineligible)
Jack Bauer: Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard, Reo-Coker, Crouch
Sarahs Stars: Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard, Kewell, Harewood
And so next week is the last update of a long season but I shall also bring you news of the FFL World Cup comp.
Cheers
Simon
