Season 33 Week 22 processing...

Welcome to the last competitive week of the season. There's a lot riding on the results from this week for quite a few of you so I wish you the best of luck. 

My little Banstead side will be doing our best to beat Champions Manchester City which is no easy task but we'll give it our best shot.

The reset is underway...

No orders from Real Madrid...

Data entry is underway...

Massive week ahead for me with three out of four teams in with a shout of a title.  Unfortunately, all three pretty much rely on other results so may not turn out great!!

Charlton

Must win game for Charlton at home against Burnley which has been made all the more difficult with both first choice full backs suspended.  A win may not be enough to stop Geoff's City winning back to back titles, they face a tricky tie against a proper footballing side Banstead who have impressed this season and more than held their own in a really difficult league.  City currently on a streak of seven straight wins ever since they were beaten at the Valley in week 14, seems I poked the bear that week and it has cost me big time in the run-in! If City grab another win this week, then an eight game winning streak is hard to keep up with and they will have romped to the title.  Will be a very nervous week for sure and any twists and turns during the morning will be felt more than most in south east London.


Nantes

Another title chance in France, albeit reliant on a win for Nantes whilst Etienne slip up in their game.  Surely Etienne would normally be big favourites here, however they couldn't have a harder final fixture in travelling away to Paris, one of the hardest fixtures of the season.  Not sure Paris would want to do Nantes any favours but surely will want to finish their season strongly.  Nantes players have done incredibly well to still be in the race following an incredible amount of disruption and departures over tha last few weeks.  The current squad is unrecognisable to the one that was toe-to-toe with Etienne back in week 16.  Can they muster one more win in the TIC formation before the changes kick in for next season and evolution of the team takes hold.  Oscar makes his final appearance this week, an incredible servant for the club, carried the team in a lot of games over his time at the club.  Will be sadly missed.


Wolfsburg

Another knife edge last day in Germany with Wolfsburg with a great chance of upsetting all the odds and pulling off an unbelievable unexpected title win.  Strictly speaking, the only one of my teams who hold the destination of the title in their own hands, a win would secure the title.  Only problem being the game is away at Schalke!  Based on this, the fans will be keeping an equally keen eye on Leverkusen's game away at Hannover.  Another incredibly tough game, with Hannover arguably being the form team in Germany since week 5/6.  Another one where I think there will be plenty of twists and turns throughout the 90 minutes.


Fluminense

Unfortunately have to give Geoff's Santos side a guard of honour at our place this week.  No grandstand finish in this fixture as the 4 points gap is unsurmountable but playing for pride will be important for a few players playing for their future and places next season.  To win back to back titles is some achievement in any league but to do it in Brazil with a lot of competition shows what a great manager Geoff is.  


It is certainly going to be a stressful week, everything will be crossed tomorrow.  

Good luck to all (well most)! 

The friendly games have kicked off and I expect the league games to kickoff at 1000 hours wednesday morning...

WATFORD

 
Watfords test last week showed the side were able to cut teams open, however there was disruption affecting the side and there concentration and injury to Maddison who was doing the damage. So this week see’s Debuts for Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva.. Not something I’d recommend to anyone.. But alas that’s the hand the manager was dealt and wants to bed the team in ASAP.
Watford look to bring in Amadou Onana from Genk to shore up the midfield to help support Rice and give options across the park with his ability to play DY.
As for off-field the manager is building some more infrastructure to boost the commerce.

 

GENK

 
Genk look to win the league… Given that the team were 4 points ahead only a few weeks ago, makes for a tense finale to the season! Were on track for a double and could lose it all. Only change see’s Veteran Vertonghen come in to replace the departed Badishille, whos long term replacement will arrive this week.
As the Genk side look to transform themselves, Nkunku makes his way to Germany to link up at Leverkusen in exchange for Ismalia Sarr.
Fingers crossed the manager doesn’t require further re-enforcements.
 
 

LEVERKUSEN

 
The race for the title goes down to the wire on the final day of the season, nothing could be more thrilling! Gravenberch is fit to start this week after overcoming a knock and spending some time with the Physio. However, a busy week off-field. Some players playing there final game, can they make it count? Merino leaves in a swap for Dani Olmo, Niklas Dorch see’s his spell at the side come to an end given permission to find another club, as does Nainggolan. Jamal Musiala leaves.. with Muani and Baumgartner joining the German side.

 

BOTAFOGO

 
Botafogo have given it there all this season and the manager has been pleased with the results. However, the manager continues with the change in tactic. With No additional players brought in this week with cover established within the squad. Will keeping things settled help the side get prepared for next season…
 
 
 
Good luck to all!

Kickoff is almost upon us and there is a lot riding on the last week of the competitive season and I wish you all the best of luck...

The ref blows his whistle and the games are underway...

Metz 0 Marseille 1 Szymanski on 2 minutes.

Nantes 1 Lens 0 Aubameyang header on 3 minutes.
Bruges 1 Beerschot 0 Propper.
Twente 1 Rotterdam 0 Thorgen Hazard.
Viking 1 Molde 0 Botheim.

Soton 1 Wolves 0 Tadic on 4 minutes.
Wycombe 0 Blackpool 1 Wylde.

Argentinos 1 Banfield 0 Ricky Alvarez on 6 minutes.
Villa 0 Newcastle 1 Almiron.
Consett 1 Barnsley 0 Ozyakup.

Cherry 1 Derry 0 Delfouneso on 7 minutes. Winner takes the title from this game.
Watford 0 Arsenal 1 Ramsey.
Banstead 1 Man City 0 Austin.

Wimbledon 0 Westham 1 Kanu on 10 minutes.
Nantes 2 Lens 0 Oscar.
Napoli 0 Cagliari 1 Luan.

Soton 2 Wolves 0 Milivojevic penalty on 11 minutes.
MK Dons 0 Southend 1 Forss.

Stoke 0 Midds 1 Griffiths on 14 minutes.

Banstead 1 Man City 1 Rashford penalty on 15 minutes.
Monaco 1 Bordeaux 0 Unal.

QPR 1 Sunderland 0 Sturridge on 16 minutes.

Ajax 0 PSV 1 Carolina on 17 minutes.

River Plate 1 Rosario 0 Rabello on 18 minutes.
Watford 1 Arsenal 1 Abraham.
QPR 1 Sunderland 1 McGivern header.
Monaco 1 Bordeaux 1 Zerkane.

Leeds 0 Everton 1 Gervinho on 19 minutes.

Bate 1 Neman 0 Berezkin on 20 minutes.
Man United 1 Chelsea 0 Balotelli.
Bristol City 0 Spurs 1 Raul Jimenez.
Viking 2 Molde 0 Nielsen header.
Dundee Utd 1 Rangers 0 Behich.

Huge changes in England, Spain and Argentina this week - including as many as 10 debuts - be interesting to see how the sides get on as they start to prepare for next season...

Consett 1 Barnsley 1 Collison on 22 minutes.
Ajax 0 PSV 2 Van Ginkel.

Lille 1 Montpellier 0 Paulinho on 23 minutes.
Rennais 1 Sedan 0 Griezmann.
Barcelona 1 Atletico 0 Valverde.