Predictions, predictions, predictions. It’s funny how they all pan out and you can have moments when the games are going on where you experience sheer ecstasy and then there can be moments where you want to give it all up. There were a couple of them this time, I can tell you that. We’ll begin by seeing how last week played out…
Mark is having a bad time at this whole prediction lark, he rolled another doughnut and is now miles off the pace, nevertheless, if he can have one or two good weeks and they need to be soon because the league is ending, then who knows? Green means the result is correct and bold & green means correct score, so as you can see there were an impressive four correct scores from six games which is even better when you consider it was one from seven the week before.
The leader of the table has changed and I was going to think of ways to issue out some form of point deduction but I’ll let it lie for now. The gap isn’t that big and it’s most certainly retrievable. Let’s take a look at that league table after a busy week…
Name |
Points |
Correct Scores |
Chris Darwen |
33 |
5 |
Jake Flock |
30 |
4 |
Stephen Beavon |
22 |
3 |
Mark Smith |
12 |
1 |
There was a three-point gap last time we looked at the table and there is still one now, however, Chris is now in the lead after a brilliant week, scoring 12 points with the all-important two correct scores. I wouldn’t say I shot myself on the foot, but, in the dying embers on the Chennai vs Jamshedpur game, I made a remark that if Jamshedpur held on that I would be back clear at the top of the table. Literally, seconds later, Chennai equalised with their only shot on target and Chris got another correct score. Pish.
There are another six games this week, five of which still have some bearing on the table at the end of the season. The only dead rubber is Delhi vs ATK which will hopefully yield some goals as neither team have got anything to play for. Let’s have a look at the six games…
FC Goa vs Delhi Dynamos (21/02) | Mumbai City vs NorthEast United (22/02) | Kerala Blasters vs Chennaiyin FC (23/02) | Delhi Dynamos vs ATK (24/02) | Pune City vs FC Goa (25/02) | Jamshedpur FC vs Bengaluru FC (25/02)
And this is what we think will happen in those games…
FC Goa | Pos: 6th | Points: 20 | GD: +3 | | GD: -15 | Points: 11 | Pos: 10th | Delhi Dynamos
Predictions – CD: 3-1, JF: 2-0, MS: 2-0, SB: 2-1.
Verdict: Home win. Easy to see why FC Goa have got unanimous backing in this one. There are no two ways about it, Goa need to win this. This is one of their games in hand on the teams above them and if they want to make the playoffs, they could do with the three points.
Mumbai City | Pos: 7th | Points: 20 | GD: 0 | | GD: -13 | Points: 11 | Pos: 9th | NorthEast United
Prediction – CD: 1-0, JF: 2-1, MS: 2-1, SB: 2-0.
Verdict: Home win. Very similar situation to that of Goa. Mumbai need to win and they’ve not got the luxury of an extra game like Goa have. If they fail to win and results go against them later in the week, their season will be done and dusted. NorthEast have got nothing to play for and haven’t had for a while.
Kerala Blasters | Pos: 5th | Points: 24 | GD: 0 | | GD: +4 | Points: 28 | Pos: 3rd | Chennaiyin FC
Prediction – CD: 0-1, JF: 1-1, MS: 1-1, SB: 1-0.
Verdict: Majority suggests a draw between Kerala and Chennaiyin. This is one of the games that are difficult to call this week, if Kerala win, they leapfrog Jamshedpur into the crucial fourth place. If Chennai win, they go onto 31 points which will secure their play-off place. Exciting times.
Delhi Dynamos | Pos: 10th | Points: 11 | GD -15 | | GD: -10 | Points: 13 | Pos: 8th | ATK
Prediction – CD: 1-1, JF: 0-0, MS: 1-0, SB: 2-1.
Verdict: 50/50 between a home win and a draw. I know I mentioned there being goals in this earlier on but they’re both garbage so I’m hoping they both cancel each other out. Either that or it’ll probably be 5-4 or something daft.
Pune City | Pos: 2nd | Points: 29 | GD: +13 | | GD: +3 | Points: 20 | Pos: 6th | FC Goa
Predictions – CD: 1-1, JF: 2-1, MS: 1-1, SB: 2-0.
Verdict: Same as the previous game; split between a home win and a draw. All being well, if Goa win this game and the one earlier against Delhi, they’ll be three points behind their hosts, Pune. The home side will be assured of their place in the top four should they beat Goa.
Jamshedpur FC | Pos: 4th | Points: 26 | GD: +3 | | GD: +15 | Points: 34 | Pos: 1st | Bengaluru FC
Predictions – CD: 1-2, JF: 1-0, MS: 1-2, SB: 1-2.
Verdict: Panel suggests an away win. I’ve got a misguided loyalty towards Jamshedpur for some reason that I can’t explain, but there is a method to my madness. By the time the game kicks off, Jamshedpur could well be outside the top four meaning the onus will be on them to get the win. Bengaluru nearly have top spot in the bag so they haven’t really got anything got anything to play for. Let’s hope that’s the case, though.
There will be a lot of blood, sweat and tears this week as the prediction league gets down and dirty. I’m concerned that Mark and I have the same predictions for some of the games and if he maintains his doughnut rolling ability, Chris will pull clear at the top. On the whole, most of the teams will only have one game left after this week so it’s not the time for mistakes.
Until the next time.
