A word about the poll: now that we have had to lose Villa and Leicester, it’s down to three so we have to start all over again. In the last version, Hull were way ahead on 66 per cent favouring them to go down, Newcastle were next bet on 18 per cent and Sunderland were fingered as drop candidates by only 15 per cent. Dare we hope the voting is accurate?
Some people have the measure of this Guess the Score business and others do not not.
Paul Devine, another of the SAFC-supporting exiles among our readership, has already won at least two mugs this season and now he has another to look forward to. He lives in the Netherlands but has a relative’s UK address to which his prizes can be sent.
The end-of-season tension has exhausted Monsieur Salut.
In another foreign land, yesterday was the first day of the year to be spent on a beach. There were jellyfish in the sea, a gorgeous sea view out towards the islands of Levant (90 per cent military, 10 per cent nudist) and Port-Cros and stunning hills behind.
All I could see, though, was wave after wave of Arsenal attack with Costel Pantimilon trying his damnedest to block, catch, kick, deflect everything thrown at him, aiming for the clean sheet that would rival Paul Devine’s clean sweep (OK, a bit of licence may be at play there).
But is that how it will be? A stupendous backs-to-the-wall resistance to Wenger’s finest? Will Defoe snatch one at the other end? Or will we be blown away by a side capable to beating the best on a good day or night even if we try to convince ourselves they are susceptible to the occasional stumble?
Like Pete Sixmsith, in his masterly appraisal of the Leicester game (https://safc.blog/2015/05/sixers-leicester-city-soapbox-arsenal-and-chelsea-no-place-for-chokers/), I shall be in pieces on Sunday afternoon if we still need the final day to go our way at Stamford Bridge, the KC stadium or St James’ Park.
Sadly, the odds against Arsenal blowing it lengthened with that surprising home defeat to Swansea. Teams of their calibre rarely fail two home games running. We will need a lot of luck or a superhuman performance, or both, to survive the Gunners’ probable onslaught. We showed last season that the will-to-win (or at least avoid defeat) can triumph over logic – so over to you, Dick and the Lads.
Guess the Score for the penultimate time this season. A mug from our sponsors, Personalised Football Gifts awaits the winner, whoever they support. The Sunderland version looks like this and you get to have your own name as No 12 ….
The winner must, like Paul, be first with the correct scoreline before kickoff and be able to provide a UK postal address.
And you may all come back for our Arsenal “Who are You?” once the tardy interviewee gets a move on and sends his replies.
Ha’way Pants and the 10 Lads in front of him. Save our season in style and reward the fans who have turned out in such force through thick and mostly thin all season long.
Just don’t lose!!!!!!
I feel we will get at least a Point from these two games. Give me a Mug if we get three, and I think we may get close to 3. I am hoping we stay up due to Steve Bruce. Useless manager we had in the past. But I do like him, He’s better than people think..
Malcolm said ” I love the optimism but I ask myself where will a goal come from.”
What a disappointment you are Malcolm. So little faith. We are due an o.g any time soon. It could be at The Emirates or we may have to wait for Stamford Bridge.
Don’t you remember the season when Tony Adams scored two own goals for us in the same season? At the end of March I recall that he was our joint top scorer for that particular season.
We’re due a fluke. We haven’t had any for close to a week and a half.
1-0 to Arsenal but we’ll sneak a point against Chelsea. Wouldn’t be Sunderland if it didn’t go to the wire
So WBA beat Chelsea which is probably bad news for us.
My recurring nightmare is that Arsenal beat us 2-0, then Chelsea beat us 4-0. Hull get a flukey win over Man Ure 2-1 and the Mags draw 1-1 with WHU. We go down on GD being one goal worse off than the Mags.
My head says that Hull won’t win and we’ll finish above the Mags who won’t win either. I’m expecting the bottom five to stay as they are.
I’m not entering GTS by the way – Phil beat me to 2-0 anyway. I love the optimism but I ask myself where will a goal come from. At least Arsenal and Chelski will attack us and maybe leave a few gaps as did Everton.
Very good Eric. I like that. Are you sure that we don’t take a surprise lead as a result of a long Pants clearance upfield. Dangerous Danny is lurking on the edge of the box (well, bending over tying his bootlace in fact). Ball cannons off his backside completely deceiving a hapless Ospina?
This is how I was predicting his first (and possibly only ever goal for us), a couple of weeks ago and then managed the fluke against Everton when he couldn’t get out of the way of Gomez’s strike.
The Leam Lane Express will no longer be the butt of our jokes.
Either that or we need a beach ball. Can anyone going down there please take an inflator? Thanks.
Sunderland surprise everyone by taking an early lead in the 12th minute through Defoe. Arse Wenger’s face is a picture of abject misery whilst Steve Bould just sits there chewing gum and contributing absolutely zilch (as per). Arse then score a fortuitous equaliser as O’Shea scores an OG (it comes off his arse, naturally). The Mighty Mackems then defend manfully to earn the point required to prevent them ending up at the arse end of the table.
4-0 to them, you get beat and Jeremy gets the mug. No worries thought but, you’ll still stop up
Reverse psychology for me. A 3-1 Arsenal win but hoping for a draw at least.
2-0 to Arsenal but hoping for a draw.
With Arsenal wanting 3rd position, it’s a tough ask. Like you, all I want is a point, one simple point but I can’t see it. I think we will have to wait until the final day to know our fate which I still feel will shine kindly on us.
There’s no doubt we will fight tooth and nail but unfortunately I feel we will be outclassed by superior opposition.
2-1. I hope I’m wrong!
I think we might surprise everyone and get a point. 2-2
I think it will be 2-1 to Sunderland. I remember a similar score in the early 80’s. I remember my dad talking about a 5-4 win in 1935 but that would too audacious. 2-1 to Sunderland then.
I agree. I think we will win 1-2. Kudos buddy.
defend, defend, defend, DEFOE,DEFOE – 2-0 TO THE LADS, with Panty MOTM 🙂
1-1
My prediction is a heroic 0-0 draw……backs to the wall,bodies on the line …..Costel the MOM……nerve wracking,draining ,hide behind the couch stuff.But that’s what supporting SAFC is all about. Phew…I am exhausted already !
Bravo, Robbo and bravo the Lads for proving you right.
I’m predicting a heroic 1-0 win for safc…. The lads putting their best performance of the season!