Footy updates 2025/31

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Everton Women 0 Arsenal Women 1 CGPT: 1-3 Result: 1-3

When Kim Little is playing (back from injury), Arsenal are a different side

Birmingham 2 Charlton 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-1

Charlton on a little bit of a bad run

Leicester 1 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 3-1

No consistency from the Tractor Boys

Burton 1 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 0-0

Looks like mid table is Wycombe's lot this season

Chislehurst Glebe 0 Whitstable 2 CGPT: 2-2 Result: 0-2
Things are going well

Arsenal 5 Wolves 0 CGPT: 2-0 Result: 2-1
That was a stressful watch. Arteta struggling to find the best combinations from his big squad. Not sure Eze and Odegaard can play in the same team. Can't wait to get Havertz back

Nottingham Forest 2 Tottenham 2 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 3-0

You don't know what you're going to get from Spurs

Correct results: 4 out of 7 (ChatGPT: 3)

Correct scores: 0 out of 7 (ChatGPT: 1)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 4 Chat GPT 5

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Upcoming midweek game:

Leuven Women v Arsenal Women (Champions League final match day of the league phase)

Footy updates 2025/30

Recent midweek games:

Larkfield & New Hythe 1 Whitstable 2

Great win against the previous leaders

Charlton 1 Middlesbrough 2

Chelsea on their mind?

Wycombe 0 Plymouth 1

It's been an up and down season

Tottenham 3 Slavia Prague 0

Spurs will qualify for at least the playoff round for the knockout stage

Arsenal Women 1 Twente Women 0

Arsenal confirm at least a play-off spot for the quarter-finals

Ipswich 1 Stoke 0

Gradually creeping up the table

Club Brugge 0 Arsenal 3

Six from six, the only unbeaten team in the Champions League and they've qualified direct to the knockout stage

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FA Cup news - 3rd round draw:

Portsmouth v Arsenal

Tottenham v Aston Villa

Ipswich v Blackpool

Charlton v Chelsea

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Everton Women 0 Arsenal Women 1 CGPT: 1-3

Birmingham 2 Charlton 1 CGPT: 2-1

Leicester 1 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 1-2

Burton 1 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1

Chislehurst Glebe 0 Whitstable 2 CGPT: 2-2

Arsenal 5 Wolves 0 CGPT: 2-0

Nottingham Forest 2 Tottenham 2 CGPT: 1-2

Footy updates 2025/29

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Arsenal Women 4 Liverpool Women 0 CGPT: 3-0 Result: 2-1

Arsenal struggled against the team bottom of the league and without a win. Hard to see how the Gunners can win anything this season

Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 1 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 2-1

Disappointing. Arsenal came back after conceding the first goal but Villa (possible surprise title contenders?) won with the last kick of the game. Still top of the table (just)

Charlton 1 Portsmouth 0 CGPT: 1-1 Result: match abandoned after medical emergency in the crowd

Tottenham 2 Brentford 2 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 2-0

Back to winning ways. They sit in 10th

Ipswich 1 Coventry 2 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 3-0

Best result of the season, walloping the runaway table-toppers. Going from one extreme to the other, impossible to forecast. Up to 4th

Exeter 0 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 4-0

FA Cup: Wanderers won't be in the third round draw

Whitstable 2 Eastbourne United 0 CGPT: 2-0 Result: 3-0

FA Vase: The holders on to round 4

Correct results: 2 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 4 )

Correct scores: 0 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 0)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 3½ Chat GPT 4½

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Upcoming midweek games:

Larkfield & New Hythe v Whitstable (1st vs 2nd)

Charlton v Middlesbrough

Wycombe v Plymouth

Tottenham v Slavia Prague (Champions League)

Ipswich v Stoke

Club Brugge v Arsenal (Champions League)

Footy updates 2025/28

Recent midweek games:

Northampton 2 Wycombe 0
EFL Trophy not high on Wycombe's priority list I'd guess

Blackburn 1 Ipswich 1

Almost karma. When this fixture was originally played, it was abandoned after 81 minutes with Blackburn leading 1-0. They took the lead in the 76th minute this time. But Town got an equaliser with the last kick of the match. Tinkerman McKenna made a number of changes, as usual, and Ipswich rescue a point against a team they really should be beating

Newcastle 2 Tottenham 2

Very entertaining game between two teams who will probably end the season higher than they currently are. Spurs in a bit of a transition

Arsenal 2 Brentford 0

The Gunners a bit disjointed in attack but their defence remains rock solid

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EXPECTATION UPDATES

I thought this might be a good time (a third of the way through the season) to assess our expectations (hopes?) for each of our favourite teams, so here goes.

Arsenal to win the Premier League: before the start of the season 2.5/10, now 4/10

Tottenham to finish in the top 5 of the Premier League: before the start of the season 4/10, now 3/10

Ipswich to win promotion to the Premier League: before the start of the season 8/10, now 4/10

Charlton to avoid relegation back to League One: before the start of the season 5/10, now 8/10

Wycombe to duplicate last season's push into the playoffs: before the start of the season 4/10, now 2/10

Whitstable to win promotion from the Southern Counties East League Premier Division: before the start of the season 5/10, now 6/10

Arsenal Women to win the Womens Super League: before the start of the season 5/10, now 2/10

Any thoughts anyone?

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Arsenal Women 4 Liverpool Women 0 CGPT: 3-0

Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 1 CGPT: 1-2

Charlton 1 Portsmouth 0 CGPT: 1-1

Tottenham 2 Brentford 2 CGPT: 2-1

Ipswich 1 Coventry 2 CGPT: 2-1

Exeter 0 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1

Whitstable 2 Eastbourne United 0 CGPT: 2-0

Footy updates 2025/27

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Oxford 0 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 0-2 Result: 2-1

Big shock. Ipswich could have gone 2nd; Oxford firmly fixed in the relegation zone. But Ipswich think they are Barcelona with all their playing out from the back and it doesn't work if your players aren't technically good enough. I'm losing faith in McKenna

Phoenix Sports 2 Whitstable 3 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 0-1

It took Town 92 minutes to break the opposition block

Coventry 3 Charlton 0 CGPT: 3-1 Result: 3-1

For 27 minutes a big shock was on the cards but table-topping runaway leaders Coventry recovered from conceding an early goal

Rotherham 1 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 1-1

Two mid table teams nicely clear of relegation

Tottenham 1 Fulham 0 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-2

Two daft goals conceded in the first 6 minutes says it all

Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 1-1

A blood and thunder derby. Arsenal had a man more for 50 minutes but couldn't make it count. Still 5 point lead at the top of the table though

Correct results: 3 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 3 )

Correct scores: 1 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 2)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 3½ Chat GPT 3½

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Upcoming midweek games:

Northampton v Wycombe

Blackburn v Ipswich

Newcastle v Tottenham

Arsenal v Brentford

Footy updates 2025/26

 Recent midweek games:

Hull 0 Ipswich 2

Up to 4th in the table, on a good run

Stoke 3 Charlton 0

Stoke are 2nd in the table and the only thing that matters for promoted Charlton is survival; that looks OK so far

Arsenal 3 Bayern Munich 1

Great game

PSG 5 Tottenham 3

Is Ange back?

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Oxford 0 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 0-2

Phoenix Sports 2 Whitstable 3 CGPT: 1-2

Coventry 3 Charlton 0 CGPT: 3-1

Rotherham 1 Wycombe 1 CGPT: 1-1

Tottenham 1 Fulham 0 CGPT: 2-1

Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2 CGPT: 1-2

(It's still an international break for the Women)

Footy updates 2025/25

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Charlton 1 Southampton 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-5

Last season Charlton were in the league below, Southampton in the league  above. But conceding 5 goals in the first half borders on inexcusable

Ipswich 2 Wrexham 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 0-0

19 shots for Ipswich, just 3 for the opposition. I guess parking the bus is Wrexham's thing

Wycombe 2 Lincoln 2 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 3-2

Climbing the table nicely

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 1 CGPT: 2-0 Result: 4-1

Eze does it

Also one match I hadn't realised existed, so no forecast:

Croydon v Whitstable  (Kent Senior Trophy 2nd round) Result: 1-4

On to round 3

Correct results: 1 out of 4 (ChatGPT:1 )

Correct scores: 0 out of 4 (ChatGPT: 0)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 3½ Chat GPT 2½

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Upcoming midweek games:

Hull v Ipswich

Stoke v Charlton

Arsenal v Bayern Munich

PSG v Tottenham

Footy updates 2025/24

Recent midweek games (international break):

Whitstable 4 Bearsted 2
Early days but looking good: 

Gillingham 0 Wycombe 3 (EFL Trophy)
Wycombe have greater priorities than this competition

Bayern Munich Women 3 Arsenal Women 2 (Champions League)
This was on Disney+ so I'm unable to explain how European Champions Arsenal threw away a two goal lead.

Port Vale 0 Wycombe 0

zzz

Tottenham Women 0 Arsenal Women 0

Shot shy Gunners squander an opportunity to get closer to the league leaders

Whitstable 3 Stansfeld 3

Two goals down after 30 minutes to the bottom of the table team, this was a disaster in the making. But a fightback culminating in a 97th minute equaliser made it less so. Bit of a shock though

Arsenal Women 2 Real Madrid Women 1

We came from behind to rescue a faltering campaign

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Charlton 1 Southampton 1 CGPT: 2-1

Ipswich 2 Wrexham 1 CGPT: 2-1

Wycombe 2 Lincoln 2 CGPT: 1-1

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 1 CGPT: 2-0

Footy updates 2025/23

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Arsenal Women 2 Chelsea Women 2 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 1-1

Arsenal suffered from two refereeing decisions but stay in the hunt for the league title

Tottenham 0 Manchester United 0 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 2-2

Spurs pretty good away but completely unpredictable at home

Wycombe 1 Leyton Orient 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 4-1

Signs of improvement

Swansea 1 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 1-4

We seem to have got a settled team and are getting the rewards

Wrexham 1 Charlton 2 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 1-0

Disappointing, dropping below Ipswich

Infinity 0 Whitstable Town 3 (FA Vase 2nd round - Whitstable are the holders) CGPT: 1-3 Result: 1-2

Into the 3rd round

Sunderland 0  Arsenal 1 CGPT: 0-3 Result: 2-2

Disappointing to concede equaliser in the last minute but still top of the table

Correct results: 4 out of 7 (ChatGPT: 2)

Correct scores: 0 out of 7 (ChatGPT:0 )

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 3 Chat GPT 2

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Upcoming midweek games (international break):

Whitstable v Bearsted

Gillingham v Wycombe (EFL Trophy)

Bayern Munich Women v Arsenal Women (Champions League)

Footy updates 2025/22

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Recent matches:

Slavia Prague 0 Arsenal 3

Charlton 1 West Brom 0

Ipswich 1 Watford 1

Tottenham 4 FC Copenhagen 0

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Arsenal Women 2 Chelsea Women 2 CGPT: 1-2

Tottenham 0 Manchester United 0 CGPT: 2-1

Wycombe 1 Leyton Orient 1 CGPT: 2-1

Swansea 1 Ipswich 2 CGPT: 1-1

Wrexham 1 Charlton 2 CGPT: 1-1

Infinity 0 Whitstable Town 3 (FA Vase 2nd round - Whitstable are the holders) CGPT: 1-3

Sunderland 0  Arsenal 1 CGPT: 0-3

Thanks, Tofiq

I had a bad day yesterday. It rained incessantly, so much so that I decided to skip my usual visit to Tesco where, lacking any shopping needs, I would have bought my newspaper and had a coffee whilst reading it. As soon as I saw the rain I knew that, come the evening, I would get no satellite signal to enable me to watch Arsenal in the Champions League. Meaning I had to get the match on my phone and cast it to the TV - keeping myself away from other notification channels so that I wouldn't know when a goal was scored before it appeared on my - delayed by a minute or so because wifi streaming is behind the live action - screen.

I do realise this is very much a first-world bad day.

Then there's chess. I'm in the middle of a game against my son and I don't know what my plan is. Or I have too many plans and can't stick to one. Chess is like boxing, in two ways. The first is the Mike Tyson way: "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth". So I can't get too aggressive or that'll happen when I'm least expecting it. Which leaves me with the other option: rope-a-dope, made famous by Muhammad Ali. It’s a tactic where a fighter leans back on the ropes, covers up, and lets the opponent punch themselves out. The idea is to absorb or deflect blows, conserve your own energy, and then strike back once the other guy’s exhausted. Ali used it brilliantly against George Foreman in the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle.” Foreman threw himself into endless power shots while Ali just soaked it up and talked to him — “Is that all you got?” — until Foreman was spent. Then Ali knocked him out.

That's what I'm hoping Dan will try.

Anyway, I'm back on track today, in my usual post-shower routine: shop, drink coffee, read paper, catch up on my chess games, do chess puzzles (which doesn't seem to improve me), solve (hopefully) the Times Quick Cryptic crossword, solve puzzles on the New York Times Games app - Wordle (got it in 4 today), Connections (got it with just one error) and Strands (always successful but try to do it without hints).

That takes me to about noon.

Which is when I get to thinking about whether I have any inspiration to write a blog post. And today I want to tell you about Tofiq Bahramov.

Tofiq changed history. Every English man or woman knows that our crowning glory was winning the World Cup in 1966. Which happened because Tofiq made an error. He was a retired footballer and a qualified referee from Azerbaijan (then in the Soviet Union) who was the linesman in the Final, when England played West Germany. He ruled that Geoff Hurst's infamous shot had crossed the line and was therefore a goal. But it actually hadn't, as shown in modern replay analysis.

Today, Tofiq is remembered by Azerbaijan's national stadium being the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in his honour.

If you think that our country is in a sad, sorry state today with widespread gloom and despair, just imagine how much worse it could have been if Tofiq had got his decision right 😧😧😧

Not such a bad day after all.

Footy updates 2025/21

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Burnley 0 Arsenal 3 CGPT: 1-3 Result: 0-2
Juggernaut

Charlton 1 Swansea 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-1
Solid

QPR 1 Ipswich 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-4
Climbing the table

Wycombe 1 Plymouth 0 CGPT: 2-2 Result: 2-0
Despite a late red card for Wycombe, they progress to the 2nd round of the FA Cup

Fisher 1 Whitstable 4 CGPT: 0-3 Result: 1-2
3 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand

Tottenham 1 Chelsea 1 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 0-1
Spurs continue their inconsistency

Leicester Women 0 Arsenal Women 2 CGPT: 1-3 Result: 1-4

There are only 5 points covering the top 5 so all is not lost yet

Correct results: 5 out of 7 (ChatGPT: 4)

Correct scores: 1 out of 7 (ChatGPT: 0)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 2 Chat GPT 2

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Upcoming midweek games:

Slavia Prague v Arsenal

Charlton v West Brom

Ipswich v Watford

Tottenham v FC Copenhagen

Footy updates 2025/20

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Recent matches:

EFL Cup 4th round:

Wycombe 1 Fulham 1 (Fulham won on penalties)
An excellent effort against a Premier League team

Arsenal 2 Brighton 0

Really nice to see a 15yo and a 17yo make their first starts

Newcastle 2 Tottenham 0

Spurs' first away defeat of the season

The draw for the quarter finals: Arsenal v Crystal Palace

Also a match I didn't expect (it's apparently in the Challenge Cup, whatever that is):

Whitstable 2 Bearsted 3
Bearsted are Whitstable's main challengers for the league title

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Burnley 0 Arsenal 3 CGPT: 1-3

Charlton 1 Swansea 1 CGPT: 2-1

QPR 1 Ipswich 1 CGPT: 2-1

Wycombe 1 Plymouth 0 CGPT: 2-2

Fisher 1 Whitstable 4 CGPT: 0-3

Tottenham 1 Chelsea 1 CGPT: 1-2

**EDIT - The Womens Super League is back after an international break

Leicester Women 0 Arsenal Women 2 CGPT: 1-3

Footy updates 2025/19

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Ipswich 1 West Brom 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-0
Only the second clean sheet of the season; that says everything. More needed

Hull 2 Charlton 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-1
A late equaliser for Charlton

Wycombe 1 Huddersfield 1 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 3-0
A very early red card for Huddersfield helps Wycombe further away from the relegation zone

Whitstable 2 Holmesdale 1 CGPT: 3-1 Result: 5-0 [attendance: 578]
2 goals for D Grant and 2 for 38yo Joe Healy (described on Wikipedia as a "former footballer")

Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 CGPT: 3-0 Result: 1-0
The juggernaut rolls on

Everton 1 Tottenham 1 CGPT: 2-1 Result: 0-3

Impressive away form. 3rd in the table, 5 points behind the Gunners

Correct results: 2 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 3)

Correct scores: 0 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 0)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 1 Chat GPT 2

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Upcoming midweek games (all EFL Cup 4th round):

Wycombe v Fulham

Arsenal v Brighton

Newcastle v Tottenham

Footy updates 2025/18

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Recent matches:

Snodland Town 1 Whitstable Town 5
Up to 2nd in the table

Ipswich 0 Charlton 3
Shocker. What has happened to Ipswich? And it's maybe Charlton who are promotion candidates

Arsenal 4 Atletico Madrid 0
Thrilling win against a tricky opponent

Monaco 0 Tottenham 0

Snoozefest

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's):

Ipswich 1 West Brom 1 CGPT: 2-1

Hull 2 Charlton 1 CGPT: 2-1

Wycombe 1 Huddersfield 1 CGPT: 1-1

Whitstable 2 Holmesdale 1 CGPT: 3-1

Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 CGPT: 3-0

Everton 1 Tottenham 1 CGPT: 2-1

Footy updates 2025/17

How did my forecasts fare this weekend? (And ChatGPT's)

Middlesbrough 1 Ipswich 1 CGPT: 1-1 Result: 2-1
Top of the table Middlesbrough show Ipswich that control trounces flair

Charlton 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0 CGPT: 1-2 Result: 2-1
Wednesday are a basket case; I'd expect ChatGPT to know that 

Blackpool 1 Wycombe 2  CGPT: 1-2 Result: 1-1
113th minute equaliser keeps the Chairboys out of the relegation zone

Erith & Belvedere 1  Whitstable Town 2  CGPT: 1-2 Result: 0-1
Up to 5th; games in hand 

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1 CGPT: 0-2 Result: 0-1
Top of the table 

Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0  CGPT: 2-1 Result: 1-2
Bit of a shocker really; Spurs 6th 

Correct results: 3 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 2)

Correct scores: 1 out of 6 (ChatGPT: 0)

Match score this season so far: usedtobecroquetman 1 Chat GPT 1

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Upcoming midweek games:

Snodland Town v Whitstable Town 

Ipswich v Charlton 

Arsenal v Atletico Madrid 

Monaco v Tottenham 

Footy updates 2025/16

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Recent matches (international break for the men):

Arsenal Women 1 Lyon 2 (Champions League match day 1 of 6)

Forgotten how to defend.

Wigan 0 Wycombe 1
Out of the relegation zone

Wealdstone 5 Whitstable 1 (FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round)
A great run to get this far. Now they can concentrate on the League: win all their games in hand and they'll be top!

Arsenal Women 1 Brighton Women 0
Every game's a struggle at the moment 

Holmesdale 0 Whitstable 4 (Kent Senior Trophy 1st round)
Town are three time winners of this competition and were beaten finalists last year

Benfica Women 0  Arsenal Women 2 (Champions League match day 2 of 6)
More like it. I've seen an estimate that 10 (possibly even 9) points from the 6 games should get you into at least the playoffs for the knockout rounds. So Arsenal need 7 points from the remaining 4 games. Winning all those 4 games might get them into the top 4 and automatic qualification for the knockouts

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My forecasts for this weekend: (and ChatGPT's)

Middlesbrough 1 Ipswich 1 CGPT: 1-1

Charlton 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0 CGPT: 1-2

Blackpool 1 Wycombe 2  CGPT: 1-2

Erith & Belvedere 1  Whitstable Town 2  CGPT: 1-2

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1 CGPT: 0-2

Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0  CGPT: 2-1

BBC2 has it all wrong

Regular readers will know that Monday night is Quiz Night on BBC2. Very entertaining and stimulating it is; our public service broadcaster has a duty to inform, educate and entertain.

Tonight, Quiz Night is cancelled in favour of...bloody football! And not just any old football, it's the mighty clash between...Northern Ireland and Germany. Oh my!

A few points to make here.

1. The BBC has a Northern Ireland channel, as variants of BBC1 and BBC2. Just as viewers in Kent get your local news and weather on BBC South East and we in Cornwall have BBC South West, so the lovely folks in Belfast can get their own stuff. Which could easily show the footy and leave the quizzes for the rest of us.
2. Mastermind, Only Connect and University Challenge regularly pull in one and half (Mastermind) and two (the others) million viewers. Let's be conservative and assume there are all the same people - devotees like me.
3. The population of Northern Ireland is roughly 1.9 million. Let's assume that half them are women and 100,000 are boys below the age of 5, based on recent census data. I'm not being sexist, just making a reasonable assumption that the goodly ladies of Derry have better things to do than watch their awful (FIFA ranked 71st in the world) football team lose to Germany (9th). Take away the 18,000 who will actually go to Windsor Park to watch the game, plus let's say 15% of the men who couldn't care less about football, and you are left with a potential audience of (being generous) around 700,000. 

So how does the BBC justify junking a 2 million Quiz Night audience for 700,000 Northern Irish football fans who could actually watch it on their own local channel?

It makes no sense.

But I will get to watch England's Under 21s play live on YouTube, without missing any quizzes!

No offence, Wales

Every football fan knows one thing above all about England. The men's team, that is.

We race through the qualifying groups against countries like San Marino and Andorra, scoring bucketloads of goals and ending with a 100% record. Then comes the competition proper. And we struggle against decent teams and...

...get beaten by Germany.

Our (German) coach is leading us through the qualification campaign ready for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA next Summer. So far we have played 5, won 5, scored 13 goals and conceded none. So when it comes to filling a gap in the schedule with a friendly game, you'd think it would be a great opportunity to find out about the players vying for their spots by playing a match against Brazil. Or France. Maybe Ghana. Definitely not Senegal, we lost 3-1 to them earlier this year (see what I mean?)

But no, we decide to play...Wales. No offence to the Welsh but they are ranked 30th in the world, between Panama and Norway. We know what our players, even those notionally in our second string, can do against Panama, Wales and Norway. What we don't know is how good they will be against Portugal, Croatia and the Dutch. Better to find out now rather than in 9 month's time when it matters.

I don't get it. As the well-known terrace chant goes:

You don't know what you're doing.

Oh and just so you know, it was England 3 Wales 0.

Footy updates 2025/14

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This week's midweek matches:

Bristol City 1 Ipswich 1

Not a bad result given City are 4th in the league but it's not promotion-winning form. McKenna is perhaps struggling to integrate 11 new players into the squad, some of them with little or no pre-season, and watching this match didn't give me confidence he is near to finding the optimal solution. However, we are only three points behind 3rd place with a game [the infamous game] in hand, in a very congested table. He needs to sort out his best eleven quickly.y

Bodo/Glimt 2 Tottenham 2 (UEFA Champions League [UCL])

Trips to the icy north of Norway are never easy so a draw isn't the end of the world

Derby 1 Charlton 1

After last year's promotion from League One, Charlton are flying. 8th in the table but only one point off the playoff positions.

Arsenal 2 Olympiakos 0 (UCL)

Credit to Olympiakos for coming to play and making it a thrilling match.

My forecasts for this weekend: (I've added ChatGPT's "guesses" (its word))

Manchester City Women 1 Arsenal Women 1 CGPT: 2-1

Wycombe 1 Barnsley 2 CGPT: 2-1

Leeds 2 Tottenham 2 CGPT: 1-2

Arsenal 3 West Ham 0 CGPT: 3-1

Preston 1 Charlton 1 CGPT: 2-0

Ipswich 2 Norwich 2 CGPT: 2-2

Hythe Town 0 Whitstable Town 1 CGPT 1-1