On the eve of the new season, the World Cup already seems a distant memory, but what a tournament it was.
Stunning goals, shock results and England even won a penalty shoot-out.
The only minor irritation came from the criticism directed towards the English over the resurgence of the terrace anthem, ‘It’s coming home’. The likes of Graeme Souness and Guillem Ballague were quick to wade in and brandish it as a sign of arrogance and disrespect to other nations.
Utter nonsense.
At no stage did I genuinely believe that England would win the World Cup.
As a Norwich and England fan, you quickly become conditioned to accept that trophies are things that are won by other teams. But it was also clear that Southgate’s squad are far from the finished article. Overly reliant on set-pieces and lacking midfield creativity, England over-achieved and we loved it.
I sang the song and used the hashtag but it wasn’t due to arrogance; it was down to pride and an appreciation that ‘the boys done good’.
It’s the same sentiment that leads me to sing that Norwich City are “by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen” even though we’re not.
In some ways, football did come home.
Southgate and his players were gracious and likeable and with headlines being created on the pitch instead of off it, a nation reconnected with its national team.
So, congratulations to Gareth, and to France, but also to MFW’s Kathy – the winner of our World Cup prediction competition.
In keeping with the spirit of the tournament, Kathy claimed a ‘nail-biting’ victory by a single point from Matthew; both correctly predicting that Les Bleus would also be les gagnants.
As for the rest of us, our chances were sent packing alongside the assorted ‘big guns’ who failed to make the quarter-finals – the likes of Spain, Portugal and Argentina.
A special mention too for Germany, who 13 of us (out of 17), predicted would make the final.
Maybe we were seduced by Farkelife or maybe it was simply because it’s Germany – and Germany always win.
Either way, they failed to get out of the group stage for the first time since 1938 – what a time to place your bets on German football?
So, for what it’s worth, here are the final standings.
| Kathy | 36 |
| Matthew | 35 |
| Stewart | 30 |
| Sam | 29 |
| Gary G | 28 |
| Connor | 27 |
| Keith B | 27 |
| Craig | 26 |
| Martin | 26 |
| Gary F | 25 |
| Steve | 25 |
| James | 24 |
| Barclay Hero | 24 |
| Anita | 23 |
| Andy | 23 |
| Jack | 19 |
| Don Harold | 17 |
As one door closes, another one opens (or slams in your face – Ed) and the MFW team are at it again.
Like last season, we’re putting what little credibility that remains on the line with our Championship forecasts.
To join in (and pit your wits against us dimwits), simply add your predictions for the top 6 and bottom 3 to the comments section below and we’ll share ours before the curtain rises against Birmingham.
1) Hull City
2) West Bromwich Albion
3) Derby County
4) Nottingham Forest
5) Stoke City
6) Preston N. End
22) Rotherham
23) QPR
24) Reading
Top six: Stoke, derby, Villa, Leeds, WBA, QPR.
Bottom three: Bolton, Wednesday, Birmingham
Well here we go again lets shiw myself up again
Top 6 no particular order
Stoke
Norwich
WBA
Forest
Derby
Villa
Relegation no particular order
Ipswich
Birmingham
QPR
Let’s try –
Top six – Stoke, Middlesbrough, Forest, Derby, WBA, Villa.
Bottom three – Rotherham, Wigan, Bolton.
So, let’s hope you don’t lose these this season!!
Top 6:
Stoke City
Derby County
Leeds United
West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City
Aston Villa
Bottom3:
Queens Park Rangers
Bolton Wanderers
Rotherham
Top six: Stoke, WBA, Derby, Forest, Norwich and Villa.
Bottom three: Reading, Rotherham and Birmingham.
1. West Bromwich
2. Preston
3. Middlesbrough
4. Derby
5. Brentford
6. Wigan
22. Bolton
23. Reading
24. Rotherham
I’m glad I don’t bet on football.
Top 6; Villa, Boro, Stoke, Forest, Derby, Millwall.
Bottom 3; Birmingham, Wigan, Rotherham.
Top six
Derby
West Brom
Nottm Forest
Aston Villa
Stoke
Brentford
Bottom 3
Rotherham
Bolton
Ipswich
Such a lottery as always, 3 non-basket cases coming down, a Blackburn side Brimming with confidence and momentum, some young gaffer with high profiles but little experience in the dugout. And a binners team with no more quality added and an inexperienced new gaffer who may just have them not quite bad enough for the bottom 3.
Top 6; Villa, Boro, Stoke, Sheff Utd, West Brom, Swansea
Bottom 3; Birmingham, Bolton, Rotherham
Bah!
Congrats to Kathy for her World Cup win.
Top 6:
1 Stoke – same sort of classy squad Newcastle had a year or two ago
2 Middlesbrough – it’s hard to ignore a Pullis team, however much I’d like to
3 Forest – another manager we all love to hate, they should be hard to break down
4 Derby – recruited well, though Lampard could turn out to be another Bryan Robson
5 WBA – expect them to start slowly but pick up like Boro did last year
6 Villa – still have a big wage budget and strong squad, even assuming Grealish goes
Bottom 3:
22 QPR – McLaren’s a good coach for talented players, not a Manager for journeymen
23 Sheff Weds – expect last season’s plunge to continue
24 Reading – don’t rate Paul Clement, and the squad looks weak to me
Keith: I doubt Lampard has the “difficulties” that Robson possessed!
Some good picks there.
Ha, I’m sure you’re right (about Lampard, not my picks).
Truth is though it’s relatively rare for the big international names to cut it as club managers, but I reckon Lampard’s chances are better than Stevie G’s.
It’s interesting that people were putting down Villa recently as the team we wouldn’t want to be, yet more people have Villa in their top six than Norwich.
Villa 8/10
Norwich 3/10
Who said that?
https://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2018/06/07/dr-tony-may-have-got-it-wrong-but-he-wasnt-the-first-and-he-certainly-wont-be-the-last/
I was one, when it looked as if their profligacy and arrogance had finally caught up with them. But it seems they’ve got out of jail – at least for now – with new ownership.
We’ll see if this one also ends in tears, but for now it seems they can retain most of their players. Even Steve Bruce should be able to compete with that squad.
A “big club” like Villa can still attract investment, it seems, especially if it isn’t too choosy about who they are.
This is a prediction about how we think Villa are likely to do on the field, rather than more general thoughts about ownership and the way they’re run off it.
Thanks all for the predictions. They’re already safely ‘loaded’ into the master spreadsheet so no repeat of last season’s disappearing act.
We’ll await confirmation from Gary on whether a Bacon Roll is at stake this time round!
Thanks for organising it Steve, see you in May…..
A bacon roll is a possibility … a warm fuzzy feeling is guaranteed 🙂
Top Six (in no particular order)
Villa
Middlesbrough
Stoke
Derby
Forest
Norwich
Bottom Three
Rotherham
Wigan
Millwall