Season 27 Week 9 processing...

Welcome to week 9 of the season. 

The importance of the next half a dozen games starts to ramp up from here on in as some of you seriously chase league success and can ill afford to drop too many points over this period. Watch your players disciplinary points and treat those injuries. Keep a settled side.

We also have another round of cup games this week and as with all cup games there is no need to keep a settled side in the cup as all players make special effort in cup games, its the magic of the cup.

Reset underway...

Paul - does that work for European games as well? 

And happy Monday everyone.

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Welcome to week 9 of the season. 

The importance of the next half a dozen games starts to ramp up from here on in as some of you seriously chase league success and can ill afford to drop too many points over this period. Watch your players disciplinary points and treat those injuries. Keep a settled side.

We also have another round of cup games this week and as with all cup games there is no need to keep a settled side in the cup as all players make special effort in cup games, its the magic of the cup.

Reset underway...

This is usually the time of the season where I decided my players arnt cut out to win me the league and I change my entire team.......

Rob@Inter wrote:

Paul - does that work for European games as well? 

And happy Monday everyone.

yes any cup games, there is no disruption factor in cup games.

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Rob@Inter wrote:

Paul - does that work for European games as well? 

And happy Monday everyone.

yes any cup games, there is no disruption factor in cup games.

Did not know this. Thanks Paul. 


This is a risk but ....... what was your take on the City game yesterday? As a Forest fan with no take over happening, a sacked manager, Fawaz the Dodgy still in charge and relegation looming I have to look for excitement in the Prem (and CF of course).

I hope to land at least one out of the four players I newed.  My guess is at least two will be somewhere.

And Phil, I thought every week of the season was like that

Phil@fulham wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Welcome to week 9 of the season. 

The importance of the next half a dozen games starts to ramp up from here on in as some of you seriously chase league success and can ill afford to drop too many points over this period. Watch your players disciplinary points and treat those injuries. Keep a settled side.

We also have another round of cup games this week and as with all cup games there is no need to keep a settled side in the cup as all players make special effort in cup games, its the magic of the cup.

Reset underway...

This is usually the time of the season where I decided my players arnt cut out to win me the league and I change my entire team.......

Phil, when the panic sets in ......... I want about half your team so give me a shout.

Unfortunately Peter Crouch is not available Phil if its world beaters you're after

Still has the best strike rate of any England forward since Gary Lineker mind you.  If we arn't including David Nugent of course 

Rob@Inter wrote:

Phil@fulham wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Welcome to week 9 of the season. 

The importance of the next half a dozen games starts to ramp up from here on in as some of you seriously chase league success and can ill afford to drop too many points over this period. Watch your players disciplinary points and treat those injuries. Keep a settled side.

We also have another round of cup games this week and as with all cup games there is no need to keep a settled side in the cup as all players make special effort in cup games, its the magic of the cup.

Reset underway...

This is usually the time of the season where I decided my players arnt cut out to win me the league and I change my entire team.......

Phil, when the panic sets in ......... I want about half your team so give me a shout.

Every player has his price rob. A few were actually sold to reality clubs this turn!

Stuart wrote:

I hope to land at least one out of the four players I newed.  My guess is at least two will be somewhere.

And Phil, I thought every week of the season was like that

Since I've been back I've only managed to new probs 2 out of 50ish players stu! So your 50% target is probs high

Hopefully, if everyone updates their squads Phil, then this may help.

Data entry underway...

Alexander Isak and Cohen Bramall are very popular this week...

Who is the Gothenburg manager?

Gothenburg are West Broms feeder club.

Friendly games have kicked off...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Alexander Isak and Cohen Bramall are very popular this week...

Ohh. Prob didn't get him then (Isak)...

The reserve, youth, schoolboy and cup games will kickoff wednesday morning, so I'm expecting the league games to start about 1200 hours wednesday... Banstead will be playing their best team against Newcastle in the cup, fingers crossed...

Rob@Inter wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Rob@Inter wrote:

Paul - does that work for European games as well? 

And happy Monday everyone.

yes any cup games, there is no disruption factor in cup games.

Did not know this. Thanks Paul. 


This is a risk but ....... what was your take on the City game yesterday? As a Forest fan with no take over happening, a sacked manager, Fawaz the Dodgy still in charge and relegation looming I have to look for excitement in the Prem (and CF of course).

In the words of Pep, "Defeat was hard to take", in reality we didn't defend, he gave Everton absolutely no respect and they buried us, c'est la vie for the Premiership. It was exactly the same against Leicester and he learnt nothing.

Cup games running at the moment, when they finish ( probably about 1200 hours ) I will start the league games.

Game of the week this week is in Holland where third placed Feyenoord need to travel to leaders Ajax and win to close the three point gap that has been established by Ajax, if the gap goes to six points it could sound the death bell for Feyenoord's title chances, so it's a vital week for the challengers. Boss Ollie Wilson makes two changes with Luuk De Jong and Bazoer coming in whilst switching Bojan KrKic to target man to cover for the injured Gaitan and Vidal, both will be big loses. Ajax are unchanged and confident of cementing their place at the top of the table, a club spokesman said "It will be a tough game but we are confident of three points".

More big games in Italy again this week as Napoli entertain Juventus, Roma take on Ancona and we also have the small matter of the Milan derby with AC at home to Inter, that should be a cracker and a hard one to call but with Inter looking very solid its hard to see past them at this time.

The Premiership is a hard one to call this week with most teams fairly settled with no changes at Chelsea, Birmingham, Watford, Man City and Fulham and only minimal changes at Charlton, Villa and Plymouth. Villa take their long ball game to Maine Road in what could be a goal fest, although fans have questioned in the inclusion of Christian Eriksen into the midfield when the team plays long ball, but maybe the bosses hand was forced due to injuries this week. It will be interesting anyways.

Flamengo and Gremio are both struggling this season and they meet this week in a vital game for both sides, with leaders Fluminense and Sao Paulo in such good form at the moment neither can afford to drop points, esp Flamengo who are certainly missing the influence of the Muller and Lewandowski since their move to Barcelona. Flamengo are unchanged but Gremio make a host of changes which include a switch to the Winger system.

The Championship seemed to be wrapped up a few weeks back with Man United in such good form and going so well, but a couple of hiccups lately have allowed the chasing pack to close the gap and the boss makes a few changes this week to try and pep things up a bit. Both Tottenham and Newcastle need to find some form from somewhere as both sides continue to under achieve, although Tottenham have made some progress fans question if it is enough.

Scotland has been fairly quiet this season with the return to form of Inverness pushing the other big clubs into the background somewhat and it is hard to see past them this season, although St Johnstone are trying hard they are missing the now retired Ronaldinho with Wellington struggling to fill the big man's boots, Celtic are doing okay and are very consistent and could yet pose a threat to the leaders and Rangers have just started a rebuilding process due to their poor current form and they look unlikely to challenge the leaders.

The big four in Spain are all still in contention with leaders Barcelona drafting in Lewandowski this week to lead the line, and a return for Lionel Messi at Real Madrid will boost their chances of picking up another three points as they continue to chase the leaders. No changes at Valencia or Real Betis this week as both hope to keep pace with Valencia hoping to upset Barcelona away from home.

The Bundesliga got very interesting this week and there aren't many easy games here this season and leaders Gladbach must travel to Cologne hoping that they can get something from what is a very tough fixture. Second placed Schalke travel to Berlin for a likewise tough game and the top two will do well to gain a point a piece this week, any more will be a major boost to their title hopes. Under achieving Bayern will be hoping both slip up.

Looks like it is beginning to distill down to just two teams in France, Paris or Nantes, and it'll be fascinating to see which of these two fine teams takes the title this season, no changes at Nantes and only one change at Paris bodes well for their chances. Monaco could still challenge but will need to return to their early season form quickly and they must beat Nantes at home this week.

Unfortunately it will be backs to the wall for Villa even more so than I would have normally expected at Maine Road. What was a really difficult fixture has become mission impossible after the loss of Virgil van Dijk and Yaya Toure to injury.  These are 2 key men in the Villa system not just for their skills but for the physical presence they bring.  Hopefully Eriksen's silky skills can add some guile and a different dimension to the midfield. It's not the role we brought him in for but maybe he can deliver a piece of magic. In defence it's more a case of head's down and hope for the best.  Could end up getting battered.

The League games are ready to kickoff...the ref blows his whistle and we're off, good luck to everybody this week...