GW38 - Deadline 12.5.19 14.00pm FINALE

[emilystrange]

OMG! What a week for English football! In the Europa League Arsenal cruised through fairly easily to the final. Chelsea had to work a bit harder to get there, and in any other week, their win would have been the talk of the day. But first Liverpool stuff Barca 4-0 by refusing to let them play (which Barca will have seen as very rude). Subs rule, Klopp rules, the players, the Kop, the city and YNWA all ruled - for 24 hours. Spurs take to the field with less of a chance even if they are only 1-0 down, not 3. Liverpool have after all done it before, Spurs have wobbled lately and even I can't say they're in the same class. They were also away. And 2-0 down at half time. Hope was very very faint. Even at 2-2, it was barely alive. But.. but... Lucas Moura... I'm still welling up now, and my 96th minute yell as the ball crossed the line still has the cat looking wary when he hears my voice. As he was sitting on Mr Strange's lap at the time, I fear that the scars may take a while to heal. So the stress continues...
Indeed it does, for Liverpool, with a dose of doubt for City, in the last, final, ultimate and very much the last GW. Here's the line up.

Sunday 12 May - 3pm KO

Brighton v Man City Much as I appreciate City, I really want Liverpool to win something, and not against my team in the CL if at all possible (though I fear). Come on Seagulls!
Burnley v Arsenal Likewise - Arsenal need Spurs to cock up big and give an 8 goal GD away to steal the 4th CL place. GO BURNLEY
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth I'm warming to Palace, but Ake is ace.
Fulham v Newcastle I'm expecting this one to be the best game of the GW
Leicester v Chelsea Chelsea could well slip up here after a long game.
Liverpool v Wolves Liverpool riding high. I think Wolves will give a good account of themselves but won't get past the exhilarated Reds. Salah and Robertson may pop in - tis the last home game after all.
Man Utd v Cardiff Oh Lord. Who cares any more?

Southampton v Huddersfield Huddersfield, for a change.
Spurs v Everton Spurs need a point to be sure. They might be a bit tired! Will Kane have a run out? His ankle held up in the celebrations!
Watford v West Ham I prophesy disaster - red cards?

Whatever happens, it will be full of excitement for fans and neutrals alike. Not sure I can take much more - I've been on the edge of the sofa for so long recently that my bottom has a groove in it.

Rally the troops for the last time, Captains. The Final Battle is upon us. May your Gods of Football hear your prayers.

FORZA!

[Swinnow]

Interestingly they played Tower Of Strength at Anfield just before kick off on Tuesday.

[ROBBIE]

It only seems five minutes since we all had high hopes of a great footie season (fantasy and real). Thanks to Em and Steve for taking the time to keep us well informed, kicking our butts and making it fun.

I’m ready to watch my Derby team beat Leeds in the play-offs so I can see them in premiership next season. Mind after their last effort perhaps we might be better still in Championship.

[emilystrange]

All hail to the soldiers who still must fight

[Pista]

Palace at home?
That's going to be littered with dammits isn't it?

[emilystrange]

of course it is!

[Pista]

Liverpool attacking the Kop end in the first half?

Wot?

[Pista]

Citeh 3-1 up.
Not looking good for Liverpool now

[Swinnow]

Congrats Citeh, onwards to Spain

[markfiend]

And much celebration was had in the Blue halves of two north-western cities

[Swinnow]

Points of order sir....

The blue fraction of Liverpool is at best a quarter and Rhyl is not yet a city

[markfiend]

[emilystrange]

Bolton in administration, Brighton sack Chris Hughton

[Pista]

Brighton sack Chris Hughton

New gig for JoMo?

[Swinnow]

Maureen is a busted flush, my cat would have had enough sense not to sign Pogba to further inflate the egos of the young ted's at Utd and destroy any semblance of TEAM. Admittedly a Merseyside upbringing has inflicted an irrational hatred of Manchester United on me, but even I pity them Mourinho.

[emilystrange]

If the PL have him back, I'd be very surprised

[emilystrange]

It's all gone. No more league football this season. None until August. It's sad enough - but when it really sinks in, anguished cries will rise to the heavens - 3pm Saturday, I reckon. Playoff finals still to come (Mike Dean supporting Tranmere from the stands is a wonderful thing), the FA Cup Final, and the Women's World Cup (England in with an excellent chance).

Shall we, then?

Brighton 1-4 Man City Seagulls went ahead via Murray for about a minute. Then normal service resumed from City with Mahrez, Laporte, Gundögan and Agüero chipping in with goals. Of all fixtures to play at the finale, City couldn't have asked for better. Brighton sacked Chris Hughton next day, and Kompany looked very much like a man not wanting to say goodbye.
Burnley 1-3 Arsenal Aubameyang ended a great season in style, claiming a share of the Golden Boot with two. Burnley ended up safe, Arsenal not in the CL places, but still not bad considering the ups and downs they've had. See, I managed to say that nicely.
Crystal Palace 5-3 Bournemouth Good Lord. Everyone had a hand in this one. Zaha with 3 assists - is that the most this season? Batshuyai! A brilliant acquisition.
Fulham 0-4 Newcastle Fulham end ignominiously as Newcastle spread their wings. So much money spent - wisely, but not well.
Leicester 0-0 Chelsea Wasn't expecting a stalemate here!
Liverpool 2-0 Wolves Wolves harried and pushed, but just couldn’t keep Liverpool out. Mané and Alexander-Arnold ran the show, but a real team effort. Full kudos to both teams. Mané’s two gave him another share of the Golden Boot, Salah taking the last.
Man Utd 0-2 Cardiff No one saw this coming at the beginning of the season. MU in complete disarray, Cardiff relegated but coming out with a lot more dignity. There will be a lot of changes at MU very shortly, imo.
Southampton 1-1 Huddersfield I don’t think this looked like anything else, but hope tried to spring.
Spurs 2-2 Everton Worrying though it was, a draw was good enough for Spurs to take the last CL place. Dier and Eriksen v Walcott and Tosun.
Watford 1-4 West Ham Holebas indeed sent off and now not in the FA Cup final. The Hammers dominant though, Noble taking the plaudits and both goalies busy. 


So, despite all the wishes and hopes, City took the League title by one point. Not so unusual or unlikely, tbh, but this season was different. Both first and second’s points score and general records were impeccable and either would have been worthy winners. My heart was with the Reds, but it’s been with the Blues in less emotional seasons. I can’t remember any year being so full of drama, skill, excitement and excellence. Roll on the next one!
Anyway, enough of Real Life. Fantasy is our life. We’ve had a season and a half ourselves. Our trauma and despair went past any rational fan, because they only have one team - we have all of the buggers to cope with. In our own world league we have our own results.

In this GW, Thor Your Foot BC are hailed by the Big Shout Out for 81 points. Well done!



Overall winner by way of superb spreadsheet work beyond our ken is Dead MEn Walking, who has worn the Yellow Jersey for so long that it might better if he kept it anyway. Respect to you, Sir.



I don’t think it would be any surprise to anyone to find that BB&S ran away with it, winning by a very large indeed 1,371 points. EIB were second, with IGM puffing up in the rear despite a bit of a rally every now and again.



Over in the H2H, the Crown belongs to The Clash Wednesday.



The team rankings are as the main league but a lower points difference!



A very very special mention to the two highest scorers this season with 122 points in a GW - Faith Rovers and Dead Men Walking


An even more special mention to Steve and Graham for doing all of the hard record keeping mathsy stuff - I'm just the IGM front girl for the work they do. Thank you, lads, from the bottom of my black little heart and the very back of the Batcave.

With the appropriate noise and magnificence the trophy will be escorted in on a stiff cloud of hairspray to Flight of the Valkyries



And here it is - What a beauty! Congratulations!




See you on the other side of the summer

[Pista]

An even more special mention to Steve and Graham for doing all of the hard record keeping mathsy stuff - I'm just the IGM front girl for the work they do. Thank you, lads, from the bottom of my black little heart and the very back of the Batcave.

Aww. Thanks Jo & thanks also to Graham for keeping my shoddy maths in order
Also a massive thanks to those who've played this season
2 Noob teams (Norwich & Sheffield UTD) already conformed for promotion & a shock for Leeds last night as Derby go on to the play off final with Villa.
I may have a look into the women's world cup & see if FIFA have a fantasy game for that.
In the meantime I'm keeping a vigil for Fort William hoping they aren't kicked out of the Highland League despite losing 32 of their 34 matches this season & finishing last with -7 points & a -224 goal difference
Maybe Big Sam can wade in & turn them around?
Righto, time to pack up the shed for the summer.

[ROBBIE]

Just out of interest what does the Shed do during the summer? 🤪

[Pista]

Just out of interest what does the Shed do during the summer? 🤪

It gets painted a jaunty colour & takes a trip to the beach with its mates

[emilystrange]

I may have a look into the women's world cup & see if FIFA have a fantasy game for that.

I was going to mention that and forgot! We might be better at FWWC than at the men's one.

The Batcave could do with a summer declean, so will not be cleaning for a few weeks.

[Planet Dave]

Do we get relegated to the second division then? And if so will we be playing a Rose Of Avalanche (etc) fanclub squad next season?

Personally my IGM season startred badly, got much better for a time, then turned to s... again. Not unlike a certain 'team' I support so art does imitate life. Fancy that.

[emilystrange]

We’ll be playing bloody One Direction if we’re not careful