So here's my attempt at overhauling Tom at the last...I'll need the best of British....
League Two Play-off Final - Shrewsbury to beat Gillingham on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Gillingham are the kings of play-off final drama. Following their remarkable final against Manchester City back in the day may well be impossible, but this one is going to end in heartbreak for our Tom. (Sorry)
League One Play-off Final - Scunthorpe to beat Milwall 2-1
Scunny play a lovely brand of football, and their manager, much like Tony Mowbray sticks to his footballing principles. Kenny Jackett is a good manager, but only that, a good one. Expect his side to fall a bit short following their epic struggle against Leeds.
Championship Play-off Final - Sheffield United to beat Burnley 2-1
This is so tough to call. Burnley have the experience of the big games this year having gone on phenomenal cup runs in both the FA and Carling Cups. However, Sheffield United are made of stern stuff, and I think their no-nonsense approach will suit Wembley's dreadful pitch.
FA Cup Final - Chelsea to beat Everton 2-0
Expect Everton to lay siege to Chelsea's goal early on, but get caught with a sucker punch. I'd love to see them do it, but they won't unfortunately
Champions League Final - Manchester United to beat Barcelona 3-2
Everything I've ever learned about football tells me this game will be 0-0, and decided on pens. However, I'm both a footballing purist and optimist, so I'm going for a cracker, seeing as both defences can have their off days, except United's is that little bit more solid.
Leinster to beat Leicester 17-15
O'Driscoll will set himself up for a treble if he gets this one, and I think he may be the one to tip the scales in their favour.
Monaco Grand Prix - 1. Button 2. Webber 3. Vettel
Button's brimming with confidence.
French Open - Men - R. Nadal Women - A. Ivanovic
Him? Because he's never lost a match at Roland Garros.
Her? Because she plays (and is) beautiful.
B
So here goes....
League Two Play-off Final - GILLINGHAM to beat Shrewsbury 2-1 AET (1-1 FT)
The Gills will be out for revenge after their 7-0 humiliation near the start of the season and throwing away a 2-0 lead towards the end. Grant Holt is a huge threat, but the Shrews are without Jackson (injured) and Leslie (suspended), while Humphrey is in a race to be fit. With the definite crowd advantage to sing the boys over the line, I believe the Gills will emerge triumphant. (Well I can hardly bet against my own team, can I!).
League One Play-off Final - MILLWALL to beat Scunthorpe 1-0.
As much as I hate to say it, I think the Lions will be too strong. Their semi-final second leg proved how resilient they can be, with Craig and Whitbread looking solid at the back, and Alexander proving a handful up front. And with Neil Harris approaching the twilight of his career, who would bet against him to pop up with the winner?
Championship Play-off Final - SHEFF UTD to beat Burnley 2-0.
For me, Burnley never looked convincing in the semi-finals, relying on Andre Bikey losing his head and a couple of wonder-goals to see them through. Meanwhile the Blades looked ruthless vs Preston, and for me the massive sense of injustice over the Tevez affair will simply be an added icnentive that will see the Yorkshire club return to the top flight.
FA Cup Final - CHELSEA to beat Everton 2-0
Guus Hiddink is too good a manager to leave England trophy-less. David Moyes has had another fantastic year at Everton, but much of this success has been built on the form of Phil Jagielka at the back, and without the talismanci defender Chelsea will surely have enough quality to overcome Everton.
Champions League Final - MAN UTD to beat Barcelona 1-0.
Again, it pains me to say it but I can see Utd successfully defending their European crown from last year. Barcelona got lucky against Chelsea, and that luck has to run out sometime. Stamford Bridge showed Barcelona at their infuriating best, a lot like Arsenal, pretty stuff but very little end product. Had Essien cleared that ball they wouldn't have had a shot on target all match, and I can see Utd's defence doing a job on them just like last year's semi-final. Thank God Fergie won't get his mits on the FA Cup!
Heineken Cup Final - LEICESTER to beat Leinster 15-10.
Leicester just seem to have that ruthless streak that is the mark of champions, whether it be coming through a place kick shoot-out or edging London Irish by a single point in the Guiness Premiership Final. Leinster produced a magnificent display to overcome Munster in the semi-finals, and it will require something similar here to lift the trophy. UInfortunately, I can't see lightning striking twice.
French Open, Men's Singles - ROGER FEDERER
I'll be honest, I don't actually think this is going to happen. However, I'm never going to get 100% so thought I'd mix it up a bit and go AGAINST my initial impression. And having watched Federer comfortably defeat Nadal on clay in the final of the Madrid Masters I thought this might be one to upset the applecart and bring the title home!
French Open, Women's Singles - DINARA SAFINA
I am going to tip the world number one to break her Grand Slam duck after a storming victory in Madrid. With victory in Rome before that, she will head to Roland Garros on the back of a 10-match winning streak, and as strong favourite. And who am I to be against her?
Monaco Grand Prix - 1. SEBASTIEN VETTEL 2. JENSON BUTTON 3. MARK WEBBER
Because I say so.
Ok, so with Sport-aholic eliminated from the final flourish, I will be taking on Tom in a Final challenge. One point per correct answer, and this time we will preview each match - One point if prediction correct, 5 points if correct score (where appropriate)....Best of luck to you Tom, you'll need it, even with the 3 point advantage...
We will be predicting and writing a small preview and reasons for our prediction to each of the following games/events:-
LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF FINAL
LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF FINAL
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL
FA CUP FINAL
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
MONACO GRAND PRIX
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL
GUINESS PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL
FRENCH OPEN MENS SINGLES
FRENCH OPEN WOMENS SINGLES
With both myself and Tom unavailable to fully commit an accumulator to the challenge due to travelling commitments, this week's Rags to Riches is postponed until next weekend. Just a few weeks left and Tom holds a vital 3 point lead....Squeaky bum time!!!
Ok, so apologies for the latesness of the Round 11 post. Here were everyone's bets in any case....
Dom
Man Utd to beat Sunderland (1/2)
Cardiff to beat Palace (12/5)
Arsenal to beat Wigan (8/11)
Stoke to beat Newcastle (2/1)
Gillingham to beat Wycombe (6/5)
Liverpool to beat Blackburn (1/3)
Chelsea to beat Bolton (1/4)
Aston Villa and Everton to draw (12/5)
Man City to beat Fulham (4/5)
Last place did not sit nicely with me last week. Time to make amends I hope.
593/1
Tom
Chelsea to beat Bolton 2/7
Stoke and Newcastle to draw 9/4
Man City to beat Fulham 5/6
Villa and Everton to draw 23/10
Swans to beat Norwich 8/11
Leicester to beat Hereford 8/13
Chesterfield to beat Darlington 5/6
Rochdale to beat Port Vale 4/7
203/1
Sport-aholic
Liverpool to beat Blackburn (1/3)
Chelsea to beat Bolton (1/4)
Swansea to beat Norwich (4/5)
Cardiff and Palace to draw (12/5)
Arsenal to beat Wigan (8/11)
Newcastle to beat Stoke (2/1)
Wycombe to beat Gillingham (6/5)
Man Utd to beat Sunderland (1/2)
193/1
So, it's going to be hard to catch back up with the leading two. But I'm determined. Let's get another win this week and start making them sweat! Watch out lads!
RESULTS
As tight a round as we've ever had on Rags to Riches, everyone for the first eevr time getting more than 50%, but unfortunately for me, it's once more me picking up the rear, as Tom and Sport-aholic took 6 correct bets out of 8, and I took 6 out of 9. Which means Tom extends his lead to 3 points, a lead which is by no means insurmountable, and Sport-aholic closes the gap, albeit slightly on me.
The scores on the doors...
1. Tom
2. Dom
3. Sport-aholic
Ok, so 'As if from nowhere' may be an exaggeration, but this week sees our Sport-aholic on the wagon once more, taking honours on a week where double points were at stake. 4/6 correct bets in comparison to Tom's 5/8 and my poor (by my high standards) 4/9. So 6 points for Sport-aholic, 4 for Tom and a miserly 2 for myself. Is he back in it? He's given himself a shot......
1. Tom - 26 points
2. Dom - 25 points
3. Sport-aholic - 17 points
It's Round 10, and to celebrate our tenth 'anniversary' of sorts, it's double points this week - 6 for the win, 4 for second, 2 for third. Then of course it's -4 for no correct bets, and a bonus 20 for all correct bets. Could be a huge weekend!
Dom
Man Utd to beat A Villa (2/5), Liverpool and Fulham to draw (11/4), Gillingham to beat Barnet (6/5), Leicester to beat Carlisle (4/9), Arsenal to beat Man City (1/2), Everton to beat Wigan (7/10), Tottenham to beat Blackburn (7/4), Cardiff to beat Swansea (11/10), Chelsea to beat Newcastle (8/11)
358/1
Gone for a few standard ones this week - the Man Uniteds, the Chelseas etc. - but also a few potential corkers - Tottenham away, Liverpool to draw and the like. Also, betting against my own team, because I'd probably take a draw right now, in the third South Wales derby of the year, but at least if we lose now, it's an extra correct bet! Happy betting people, but your money should be on me this week...
Tom
Time to break away.
West Brom to beat Stoke (6/5)
Liverpool to beat Fulham (8/13)
Everton to beat Wigan (7/10)
Cardiff and Swansea to draw (9/4)
Millwall to beat Walsall (4/7)
Chesterfield to beat Macclesfield (11/10)
Exeter to beat Dagenham (10/11)
Brentford to beat Bradford (8/5)
321/1. See ya.
Sport-aholic
Chelsea to beat Newcastle (8/13)
Liverpool to beat Fulham (8/13)
Gillingham to beat Barnet (4/5)
Man Utd to beat Villa (2/5)
Everton to beat Wigan (8/11)
Butlers Cabin to win the National (8/1)
7 Bets. 102/1. Need them all! Come on!
.....and it tells us nothing. Except Sport-aholic ironically bottled it. Sticking with his safe 5/9 from the weekend proved catastrophic for a man badly in need of a sponsor now. Me and Tom both came desperately close to netting the big ten points. 12/13 correct results each mean it goes to sudden death, which I take because of the (slightly) greater risk on my bets. For Sport-aholic a crumb of comfort, as he notched up a solitary point this week. Where there's life, there's hope someone once said, but the table don't lie kids.....
1. Dom - 23 points
2. Tom - 22 points
3 Sport-aholic - 11 points
So our Sport-aholic has decided to stick to his guns and keep his 5/9 correct predicitions (mainly because he's probably still out celebrating from getting more than zero correct predictions this week). Predictably (how ironic), Tom has re-done his bets, given he spluttered last weekend. Mine? Well let's hope there's no technical difficulties, and I fly once more into top spot.
Dom
Belarus to beat Kazakhstan (6/5)
Latvia to beat Luxembourg (1/7)
Hungary to beat Malta (1/8)
Denmark to beat Albania (1/4)
Croatia to beat Andorra (1/50)
Switzerland to beat Moldova (1/7)
Holland to beat Macedonia (1/7)
Germany to beat Wales (4/9)
England to beat Ukraine (2/5)
France to beat Lithuania (1/6)
Russia to beat Liechenstein (1/20)
Poland to beat San Marino (1/50)
Cyprus to beat Bulgaria (7/1)
93/1
Tom
England to beat Ukraine (4/11)
Bulgaria to beat Cyprus (2/5)
Czech Rep to beat Slovakia (2/5)
Holland to beat Macedonia (1/6)
France to beat Lithuania (1/5)
Italy and Rep of Ireland to draw (11/4)
Russia to beat Liechtenstein (1/33)
Denmark to beat Albania (2/9)
Croatia to beat Andorra (1/40)
Poland to beat San Marino (1/100)
Switzerland to beat Moldova (1/7)
Northern Ireland to beat Slovenia (5/4)
Scotland to beat Iceland (8/15)
72/1.
Ok, so technical difficulties with the O'Shea Sport server meant I was unable to post my predictions - some luck, considering I would have taken the 3 points this week. So, in light of this misdemeanour, we have options.
Either way, I will submit a new list of predictions for the mid-week Internationals, and that is what I will gain/lose points on. If you wish to gamble your own weekend bets, that is for you to decide. let battle (re) commence.
