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

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

Are Whitstable fans soft?

I forgot Whitstable Town, shame on me. Last mentioned in this blog for winning the FA Vase in May. For some reason they don't appear in my Flashscore feed, which presumably doesn't cover the lower level non-professional (or semi-professional) leagues such as the Southern Counties East Football League in which Whitstable plays in the Premier Division. They are currently 7th after six games, outside the playoff places. On Tuesday they won 3-1 away to Hollands & Blair, which sounds like a firm of solicitors.

Shout out to Football Web Pages, where I discovered not only this information but their comprehensive coverage of the complete football "pyramids" in England and Scotland, men's and women's.

Every football club which is registered with the Football Association (FA) is allowed to enter the FA Cup and clubs in "Step 5" (that's our boys) and above are automatically accepted. Whitstable entered this season's competition in the First Qualifying Round and won 3-2 away to Dulwich Hamlet, who are currently in 2nd place in the Isthmian Premier League, which is a "step 3" league - Whitstable would have to get two promotions to play at that level. So a terrific result. In the Second Qualifying Round they play at home to Chichester City, who are also in the exalted company of Dulwich in the Isthmian, on Saturday. In case the Whitstable fans who went to Wembley in May are not of the "soft" variety, it's at 3pm.

And if you go, write a report please!

It's all over

The football season has finished. Ingloriously.

Ipswich Town got relegated, the team which finished 17th in the Premier League won a trophy, Arsenal finished 2nd in the league, got to the semi finals of the Champions League and won nothing, there is no more football until the 8th of August. Awful.

Except. It's not all awful.

Arsenal Women won their Champions League final against hot favourites Barcelona:

Whitstable Town, home town of my younger son, won the FA Vase:

Charlton Athletic, home town of my co-grandparent Trevor, who doesn't like football but panders to my interests by pretending to support them, won the League One playoff final (no trophy) and got promoted to the Championship, where they (on the way up) will meet the afore-mentioned Ipswich Town (on the way down) and Trevor will no doubt refuse to take me to their match at The Valley.

Then there's the Women's European Championships, where England (the holders) are one of the favourites. In Switzerland from 2nd July. No-one has yet volunteered to take me.

So summer perhaps won't be universally awful. The sun has just come out.